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Published on: November 22, 2021
Nouns referring to tools and natural objects differentially modulate the motor system
Patricia M Gough1, Lucia Riggio, Fabian Chersi
1Dip. di Neuroscienze, Università di Parma, 39E Via Volturno, Parma, Italy.
Neuropsychologia
|November 3, 2011
Summary
This study shows that the motor system responds to nouns, especially those for graspable tools. Object properties like graspability influence motor cortex activity, supporting an embodied view of language.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Linguistics
Background:
- Growing evidence links the motor system to language processing.
- Previous research primarily focused on verbs, neglecting nouns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if nouns modulate the motor system.
- To determine if noun type (artifact/natural, graspable/ungraspable) affects motor system modulation.
Main Methods:
- A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) study.
- Subjects read nouns referring to artificial/natural and graspable/ungraspable objects.
- TMS targeted the primary motor cortex representation of the right hand's first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle.
Main Results:
- Nouns referring to graspable artifacts (tools) showed significantly greater motor evoked potential (MEP) areas.
- Graspability had a main effect, particularly for natural objects during initial presentation.
- MEP measures were modulated by noun type, supporting an embodied view of nouns.
Conclusions:
- Nouns, particularly those for tools, effectively modulate the motor system.
- Object properties like graspability influence motor cortex activity.
- Findings support an embodied cognition framework for noun processing.
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