Neuromagnetic spectral distribution of implicit processing of words

Neuromagnetic spectral distributions when silently viewing words and non-words were investigated using a 151-channel whole head MEG system. The data were analyzed with synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM). The dominant changes of spectral power were identified in the parietal and occipital cortices in 15-30 Hz, 30-60 Hz and 60-125 Hz bands following both word and non-word stimulations. The changes in Broca's and Wernicke's areas were consistently observed in 60-125 Hz bands, mainly following word stimulation. The results indicated that the occipital and parietal cortices were most probably involved in visuospatial processing of words and non-words. The language areas, particularly Broca's and Wernickes's areas, might be involved in implicit word processing such as verbal searching and/or internal speech.