Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...

Lateralization

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

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...

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

Language and Cognition

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Emotive language activates right temporoparietal junction, while referential language activates the left hemispheric network.

Brain structure & function·2026

Same author

Grammar acquisition in preschool children is related to white matter maturation of the dorsal language network.

Developmental cognitive neuroscience·2026

Same author

The coming decade of digital brain research: A vision for neuroscience at the intersection of technology and computing.

Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2025

Same author

Assessing quantitative MRI techniques using multimodal comparisons.

PloS one·2025

Same author

Versatile use of chimpanzee call combinations promotes meaning expansion.

Science advances·2025

Same author

Non-adjacent dependency processing (or lack thereof) in bonobos: an artificial grammar experiment.

Royal Society open science·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

Perisylvian Functional Connectivity during Processing of Sentential Negation.

Jörg Bahlmann¹, Jutta L Mueller, Michiru Makuuchi

¹Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany.

Frontiers in Psychology

|June 21, 2011

Summary

Processing sentence negation in German activates specific brain regions. The left inferior frontal gyrus and parietal gyrus are key for handling main clause negations and integrating meaning across clauses.

Keywords:

fMRI functional connectivity language negation semantic

More Related Videos

Dissociation of the Confounding Influences of Expectancy and Integrative Difficulty Residing in Anomalous Sentences in Event-related Potential Studies

Dissociation of the Confounding Influences of Expectancy and Integrative Difficulty Residing in Anomalous Sentences in Event-related Potential Studies

Published on: May 9, 2019

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Published on: June 29, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

Dissociation of the Confounding Influences of Expectancy and Integrative Difficulty Residing in Anomalous Sentences in Event-related Potential Studies

Dissociation of the Confounding Influences of Expectancy and Integrative Difficulty Residing in Anomalous Sentences in Event-related Potential Studies

Published on: May 9, 2019

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Interaction between Phonological and Semantic Processes in Visual Word Recognition using Electrophysiology

Published on: June 29, 2021

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psycholinguistics
Cognitive Science

Background:

Negation is a fundamental linguistic feature present in all languages.
Understanding the neural underpinnings of negation processing is crucial for psycholinguistics.
Previous research suggests complex cognitive demands are associated with negation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the neural processing costs of negation in German sentences.
To examine how different clause types and negation complexities (single vs. double) affect brain activation.
To identify specific brain regions and their functional connectivity involved in semantic integration of negations.

Main Methods:

Participants read German sentences with varying negation structures (affirmations, single/double negations in main/subordinate clauses).
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
Analysis focused on identifying activated brain networks and functional coupling during negation processing.

Main Results:

Activation was observed in the left inferior frontal gyrus (pars triangularis, BA 45) and left inferior parietal gyrus (BA 40) for main clause negations.
Increased functional coupling was found between left BA 45, left BA 44, left SMA (BA 6), and left STG (BA 42) during main clause negation processing.
The left BA 45 demonstrated interplay with other language and reasoning areas for cross-clause semantic integration.

Conclusions:

The left perisylvian language network synchronizes to resolve negations.
Processing negations, especially those requiring semantic integration across clauses, enhances demands on this network.
Specific brain regions, including the left inferior frontal gyrus, are critical for handling complex negation structures.