Document Detail


Semantic integration during metaphor comprehension in Asperger syndrome.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20359737     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Previous research indicates severe disabilities in processing figurative language in people diagnosed on the autism spectrum disorders. However, this aspect of language comprehension in Asperger syndrome (AS) specifically has rarely been the subject of formal study. The present study aimed to examine the possibility that in addition to their pragmatic deficits, the difficulties in the comprehension of metaphors in AS may be explained by deficient linguistic information processing. Specifically, we aimed to examine whether a deficient semantic integration process underlies the difficulties in metaphor comprehension frequently experienced by persons with AS. The semantic integration process of sixteen AS participants and sixteen matched controls was examined using event related potentials (ERPs). N400 amplitude served as an index for degree of effort invested in the semantic integration process of two-word expressions denoting literal, conventional metaphoric, and novel metaphoric meaning, as well as unrelated word pairs. Large N400 amplitudes for both novel and conventional metaphors demonstrated the greater difficulties in metaphor comprehension in the AS participants as compared to controls. Findings suggest that differences in linguistic information processing cause difficulties in metaphor comprehension in AS.
Authors:
Rinat Gold; Miriam Faust; Abraham Goldstein
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-03-31
Journal Detail:
Title:  Brain and language     Volume:  113     ISSN:  1090-2155     ISO Abbreviation:  Brain Lang     Publication Date:  2010 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-03     Completed Date:  2010-07-19     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7506220     Medline TA:  Brain Lang     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  124-34     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
The Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Asperger Syndrome / physiopathology*
Brain / physiology*
Comprehension / physiology*
Electroencephalography
Evoked Potentials
Female
Humans
Language Tests
Male
Metaphor*
Semantics*
Time Factors
Young Adult

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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