Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Parallel Processing01:20

Parallel Processing

The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Effect of a stepped-care trauma rehabilitation programme for migrants in Germany: the 'NAT counselling intervention' study protocol for a naturalistic parallel group trial with a regression discontinuity design for quasi-randomization.

BMC health services research·2026
Same author

Correction: Multi-task learning by using contextualized word representations for syntactic parsing of a morphologically rich language.

PloS one·2025
Same author

The Die Is Cast: Decision-Making Under Risk and Under Ambiguity in Schizophrenia and Alcohol Use Disorder.

Clinical psychology & psychotherapy·2025
Same author

Multi-task learning by using contextualized word representations for syntactic parsing of a morphologically rich language.

PloS one·2025
Same author

Are You Safe or Should I Go? How Perceived Trustworthiness and Probability of a Sexual Transmittable Infection Impact Activation of the Salience Network.

eNeuro·2025
Same author

Childhood maltreatment in patients with mental illness as a risk factor for obesity.

Psychiatry research·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

Distinct processing of function verb categories in the human brain.

Daniela Briem1, Britta Balliel, Brigitte Rockstroh

  • 1University of Konstanz, Department of Psychology, Germany.

Brain Research
|November 15, 2008
PubMed
Summary

German verbs with 'heavy' and 'light' meanings show distinct brain activity patterns. This magnetoencephalography study reveals early cortical processing differences for verb meanings, even in isolation.

More Related Videos

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
05:55

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues
07:34

Perceptual and Category Processing of the Uncanny Valley Hypothesis' Dimension of Human Likeness: Some Methodological Issues

Published on: June 3, 2013

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
05:55

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • German function verbs exhibit dual meanings: concrete ("heavy") and abstract/metaphorical ("light").
  • Understanding how the brain processes these distinct verb meanings is crucial for psycholinguistics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if \
  • light\
  • verbs are processed through distinct cortical mechanisms using magnetoencephalography (MEG).
  • To explore how context influences the neural representation of verb meanings.

Main Methods:

  • Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used with 22 native German speakers performing a lexical decision task.
  • German \
  • heavy\
  • and \
  • light\
  • verbs, along with pseudo verbs, were presented visually in isolation, minimal context, or disambiguating sentences.
  • Cortical activity was measured at different time points post-stimulus onset.

Main Results:

  • \"
  • Heavy\
  • verb readings elicited more pronounced central posterior brain activity (95-135 ms) than \"
  • light\
  • readings, irrespective of context.
  • Contextual information modulated neural responses, with disambiguating sentences showing clearer distinctions in left-temporal activation (270-340 ms).
  • Real verbs showed greater left-occipital activation (110-150 ms) compared to pseudo verbs.

Conclusions:

  • \"
  • Heavy\
  • versus \"
  • light\
  • verb readings influence early visual evoked responses, even without explicit context.
  • Language processing is sensitive to the representational differences of single verb stems based on their meaning.
  • Context plays a significant role in clarifying and enhancing the neural differentiation of verb meanings.