Decoding semantic information from human electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals

This study examined the feasibility of decoding semantic information from human cortical activity. Four human subjects undergoing presurgical brain mapping and seizure foci localization participated in this study. Electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals were recorded while the subjects performed simple language tasks involving semantic information processing, such as a picture naming task where subjects named pictures of objects belonging to different semantic categories. Robust high-gamma band (60-120 Hz) activation was observed at the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) and the posterior portion of the superior temporal gyrus (pSTG) with a temporal sequence corresponding to speech production and perception. Furthermore, Gaussian Naïve Bayes and Support Vector Machine classifiers, two commonly used machine learning algorithms for pattern recognition, were able to predict the semantic category of an object using cortical activity captured by ECoG electrodes covering the frontal, temporal and parietal cortices. These findings have implications for both basic neuroscience research and development of semantic-based brain-computer interface systems (BCI) that can help individuals with severe motor or communication disorders to express their intention and thoughts.