Horst M. Mueller (1) (1994) Word Processing and Gamma Band Activity
. Psycoloquy: 5(60) Brain Rhythms (5)
Versions: ASCII formatted
Psycoloquy 5(60): Word Processing and Gamma Band Activity
WORD PROCESSING AND GAMMA BAND ACTIVITY
Commentary on Pulvermueller et al. on Brain-Rhythms
Horst M. Mueller (1)
Hennric Jokeit (2)
(1) Department of Cognitive Science
University of California at San Diego
La Jolla, CA 92093-0515, USA
(2) Epilepsie-Zentrum Bethel
Klinik Mara I
33617 Bielefeld, Germany
mueller@cogsci.ucsd.edu
jkt@mara-adm.de
Abstract
Pulvermueller et al. (1994) review the cell assembly
theory and discuss theoretical explanations for their observed
experimental findings during high-level cognitive processes such as
word processing. To find empirical evidence for their hypothesis,
ERP and MEG experiments on word and nonword comprehension were
conducted. It is not clear, however, whether the observed
suppression at 30 Hz following pseudoword presentation reflects
real gamma-band dynamics rather than so-called event-related
desynchronization in the beta band of the EEG with a similar time
course.
Keywords
brain theory, cell assembly, cognition, event related
potentials (ERP), electroencephalograph (EEG), gamma band, Hebb,
language, lexical processing, magnetoencephalography (MEG),
psychophysiology, periodicity, power spectral analysis, synchrony
References
- Bullock, T.H. & McClune, M.C. (1989) Lateral Coherence of the Electrocorticogram: A New Measure of Brain Synchrony. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 73, pp. 479-498.
- Dijk, J.G.V., Caekebeke, J.F.V., Jennekens-Schinkel, A. & Zwinderman, A.H. (1992) Background EEG reactivity in auditory event-related potentials. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 83, pp. 44-51.
- Gerstein, G.L., Bedenbaugh, P. & Aertsen, A.M.H.J. (1989) Neuronal Assemblies. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, 36, pp. 4-14.
- Gray, C.M., Koenig, P., Engel, A.K. & Singer, W. (1989) Oscillatory responses in cat visual cortex exhibit inter-columnar synchronization which reflects global stimulus properties. Nature 338, pp. 334-337.
- Jokeit, H. & Makeig, S. (1994) Different event-related patterns of gamma band power in brain waves of fast and slow reacting subjects. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 91, pp. 6339-6343.
- Jokeit, H., Goertz, G., Kuechler, E. & Makeig, S. (1994) Event related changes in the 40 Hz electroencephalogram in auditory and visual reaction time tasks. In: Oscillatory event related brain dynamics, C. Pantev, T. Elbert, & B. Lutkenhoener, eds., New York: Plenum (in press).
- Kaufman, L., Schwartz, B., Salustri, C. & Williamson, S.J. (1990). Modulation of Spontaneous Brain Activity during Mental Imagery. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 2, pp. 124-32.
- Makeig, S. (1993) Auditory event-related dynamics of the EEG spectrum and effects of exposure to tones. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 86, pp. 283-293.
- Pandya, D.N. & Yeterian, E.H. (1985) Architecture and connections of cortical association areas. In: Cerebral cortex. Vol. 4. Association and auditory cortices. A. Peters & E.G. Jones, eds. London: Plenum Press, pp. 3-61.
- Pfurtscheller, G., Steffan, J. & Maresch, H. (1988) ERD-mapping and functional topography - temporal and spatial aspects. In: Functional Brain Imaging. G. Pfurtscheller & F. H. Lopes da Silva, eds., Toronto: Huber, pp. 117-130.
- Pfurtscheller, G. & Klimesch, W. (1990) Topographical display and interpretation of event-related desynchronization during a visual- verbal task. Brain Topography, 3(1), pp. 85-93.
- Pulvermueller, F., Preissl, H., Eulitz, C., Pantev, C., Lutzenberger, W., Elbert, T. & Birbaumer, N. (1994) Brain Rhythms, Cell Assemblies and Cognition: Evidence from the Processing of Words and Pseudowords. PSYCOLOQUY 5(48) brain-rhythms.1.pulvermueller.
- Sherrington, C. (1941) Man on His Nature. Cambridge: University Press.
- Singer, W. (1993a) Neuronal representations, assemblies and temporal coherence. Progress in Brain Research, 95:461-474.
- Singer, W. (1993b) Synchronization of cortical activity and its putative role in information processing and learning. Annual Review of Physiology, 55. pp. 349-374.