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

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...

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...

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.

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.

Seizures l: Introduction

Seizures l: Introduction

Understanding seizures and epilepsy relies on key definitions that help in recognizing, classifying, and managing these disorders. These definitions provide a framework for recognizing, classifying, and managing seizure disorders.DefinitionsA seizure is a sudden, abnormal burst of electrical activity in the brain that can cause changes in awareness, movement, sensation, or behavior, depending on the area involved. Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures,...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Pre-ictal temperature increases detected by ear canal thermometry in the epilepsy monitoring unit. An exploratory study.

Clinical neurophysiology practice·2025

Same author

Data-driven retrieval of population-level EEG features and their role in neurodegenerative diseases.

Brain communications·2024

Same author

Duration of postictal impaired awareness after bilateral tonic-clonic seizures: EEG and patient characteristics.

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B·2022

Same author

The impact of sub specialization within functional neurosurgery on patient outcomes in a comprehensive epilepsy center.

Clinical neurology and neurosurgery·2021

Same author

Severity of Peri-ictal Respiratory Dysfunction With Epilepsy Duration and Patient Age at Epilepsy Onset.

Frontiers in neurology·2021

Same author

Superior accuracy and precision of SEEG electrode insertion with frame-based vs. frameless stereotaxy methods.

Acta neurochirurgica·2020

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential ERP Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential ERP Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 12, 2018

Reading Epilepsy and Language Processing: A Proposed Role for Semantic Salience.

Wentao Li^1,2, Masud Seyal¹

¹Department of Neurology, University of California, Sacramento, California, U.S.A.; and.

Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society

|October 29, 2022

Summary

Reading epilepsy seizures are linked to semantic relevance, not just text difficulty. This study suggests semantic salience, not complexity, may trigger seizures in reading epilepsy patients.

More Related Videos

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

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization

Published on: September 20, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential ERP Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential ERP Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published on: April 12, 2018

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

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization

Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization

Published on: September 20, 2024

Area of Science:

Neurology
Epileptology
Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

Reading epilepsy is a rare reflex epilepsy syndrome characterized by orofacial myoclonus triggered by reading.
Seizures are hypothesized to arise from hyperexcitable language pathways, typically in the dominant hemisphere, spreading to motor cortices.
Previous understanding suggested text difficulty, irrespective of comprehension, provokes seizures.

Observation:

A 27-year-old patient with reading epilepsy underwent reading trials with varying semantic salience and difficulty.
Tasks included pseudo-reading of colors and foreign-language texts.
A positive correlation was observed between spike count, clinical events, and increasing semantic salience.

Findings:

Increased semantic relevance of text, rather than difficulty alone, correlated with increased seizure activity.
A novel reading task demonstrated potential in differentiating reading pathway processes.
The patient exhibited an atypical right hemispheric seizure focus.

Implications:

Semantic processing, particularly in atypical hemispheric networks, may play a crucial role in reading epilepsy.
Further research could elucidate neurobiological networks involved in reading and language processing.
This study may refine diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for reading epilepsy.