Semantic Processing in the Anterior Temporal Lobes: A Meta-analysis of the Functional Neuroimaging Literature
University of Manchester · University of York
Abstract
The role of the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) in semantic cognition is not clear from the current literature. Semantic dementia patients show a progressive and a specific semantic impairment, following bilateral atrophy of the ATLs. Neuroimaging studies of healthy participants, however, do not consistently show ATL activation during semantic tasks. Consequently, several influential theories of semantic memory do not ascribe a central role to the ATLs. We conducted a meta-analysis of 164 functional neuroimaging studies of semantic processing to investigate factors that might contribute to the inconsistency in previous results. Four factors influenced the likelihood of finding ATL activation: (1) the use of PET…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 13.29
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 108
Authors
3Topics & keywords
- Semantic dementia
- Amodal perception
- Psychology
- Semantic memory
- Neuroimaging
- Functional neuroimaging
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging
- Temporal cortex
- Reduced inequalities