The recording of event related brain potentials (ERPs) and event related magnetic fields (ERFs)

axon skull pia mater dura mater

The recording of event related brain potentials

active relaxed sleepy sleep deep sleep coma

EEG Frequency Bands TypeFrequency (Hz)Normally Deltaup to 4 adults slow wave sleepslow wave sleep in babies Theta4 – 7 Hz young children drowsiness or arousal in older children and adults idling Alpha8 – 12 Hz relaxed/reflecting closing the eyes coma Beta12 – 30 Hz alert/working active, busy or anxious thinking, active concentration Gamma30 – 100 +certain cognitive or motor functions

EEG-activity Auditory ERP auditory stimulus Onset Stimulus Time (in milliseconds) amplifier signal averaging

Electrode configuration

Cognition related ERPs

Labelling conventions of ERP components and ERP effects Descriptive labelling: P300, N400, N280, P1, N1 Functional labelling: Mismatch Negativity (MMN) Error related negativity (ERN) Syntactic Positive Shift (SPS)

Multidimensional nature of ERPs Polarity. N: negative going P: positive going Latency. Exogenous components Endogenous components Amplitude Topographic distribution

Multidimensional nature of ERPs Qualitatively different underlying processes show up in a qualitatively different way in the ERP waveform (in contrast to RTs)

Discourse N400-effect Sentence N400-effect Van Berkum, Hagoort, & Brown, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 1999

ERP effects vs components An ERP effect is a modulation (mostly in amplitude) of a particular ERP component, or just the difference between two conditions in the ERP waveform N400 vs N400 effect

Brain activity for different word types 250 ms Content words Function words  V

ERPs vs. RTs Multidimensional nature of the signal Continuous nature of the signal No additional task requirements

Two definitions of ERP components A functional definition: An ERP component is an aspect of the ERP waveform for which the polarity, latency, and topographic distribution are related to a specific cognitive process

Two definitions of ERP components A physiological definition An ERP component is the scalp recorded activity of specific neural generators (or an ensemble of generators) in the brain.

Recording of ERPs and ERFs Strength: - high temporal resolution - direct measure of neural activity Weakness: - measures only a part of the neural activity (open field) - poor spatial resolution (inverse problem)

Hemodynamic method vs. ERP/ERF - Neural activity does not have to be synchronous. - Geometric orientation of the activated neurons is irrelevant. - The amplitude of the signal is not only determined by the change in neural activity, but also by its duration. - Changes in neural activity will only be picked up if these changes have a consequence for the net metabolic demand of the cells.

Neville et al. 1991

Hagoort et al. 2003, Fig. 1 Syntactic condition: Correct: De houthakker ontweek de ijdele schroef op dinsdag. (The lumberjack dodged the vain propeller on Tuesday.) Violation: De houthakker ontweek de ijdele schroeft op dinsdag. (The lumberjack dodged the vain propelled on Tuesday.)

Friederici et al. 1993, Fig. 1

Friederici et al. 1993, Fig. 2

Friederici et al. 1993, Fig. 3

Friederici et al. 1993, Fig. 4

Hahne & Friederici 2002, Fig. 1 (1)Correct Das Brot wurde gegessen. (The bread was eaten) (2) Semantically incorrect Der Vulkan wurde gegessen. (The volcano was eaten) (3) Syntactically incorrect Das Eis wurde im gegessen. (The ice cream was in-the eaten) (4) Semantically and syntactically incorrect Das Türschloß wurde im gegessen. (The door lock was in-the eaten)

Van den Brink & Hagoort 2004, Fig. 2 Fully congruent (phon +, sem +, syn +) Het vrouwtje veegde de vloer met een oude bezem gemaakt van twijgen (The woman swept the floor with an old broom made of twigs) Initially congruent (phon +, sem, syn ) Het vrouwtje veegde de vloer met een oude bedelde gemaakt van twijgen (The woman swept the floor with an old begged made of twigs) Fully incongruent (phon, sem, syn ) Het vrouwtje veegde de vloer met een oude kliederde gemaakt van twijgen (The woman swept the floor with an old messed made of twigs)

Hagoort 2003, Fig. 2 Korrekt De kapotte paraplu staat in de garage. Semantische Verletzung De eerlijke paraplu staat in de garage. Syntaktische Verletzung (Genuskongruenz) Het kapotte paraplu staat in de garage. Semantische und syntaktische Verletzung Het eerlijke paraplu staat in de garage. Der common/ neuter kaputte/ ehrliche Schirm steht in der Garage.

Art der VerletzungERP-Effekt 1. semantischN syntaktisch a) Phrasenstruktur-Verletzung/ Wortkategorie-Verletzung ELAN (early left anterior negativity) P600 (N400) -> eher anteriore Negativität a1) unerwartete PhrasenP600 zentrale-posteriore Negativität (400ms) b) Kongruenzzentrale-okzipitale Negativität ( ms) b1) S-V-Kongruenz NUMP600 zentrale-okzipitale Negativität ( ms) b2) DET-N-Kongruenz GENP600 (N400 boost)

Friederici & Frisch 2000 *Anna weiß, dass der Kommissar (NOM) den Banker (ACC) abbeizte (V) und wegging. Anna weiß, dass der Kommissar (NOM) den Banker (ACC) abhörte (V) und wegging.

Friederici & Frisch 2000 *Anna weiß, dass der Kommissar (NOM) den Banker (ACC) abreiste (V) und wegging. Anna weiß, dass der Kommissar (NOM) den Banker (ACC) abhörte (V) und wegging.

Osterhout et al The judge …

Osterhout et al. 1994

For breakfast the boys would eat toast and jam. For breakfast the boys would plant flowers in the garden. N400 effect, small P600 effect

For breakfast the boys would eat toast and jam. For breakfast the eggs would eat toast and jam. P600 effect, no N400 effect Kuperberg et al. (2007)

For breakfast the boys would eat toast and jam. For breakfast the eggs would plant flowers in the garden. P600 effect, no N400 effect

The meal was devouring.(Kim and Osterhout, 2005) P600, no N400 The dusty tabletops were devouring thoroughly. N400, no P600 Control: The hearty meal was devoured.. The javelin has thrown the athletes. (Hoeks et al., 2004; Dutch) P600, no N400 The cat that from the mice fled ran across the room. (Kolk et al. 2003; Dutch) P600, no N400

Zuweisung grammatischer/thematischer Rollen vor dem Verb A. A–SO … dass Richard Künstlerinnen gesehen hat, obwohl… … that RichardAMB.SG artistsAMB.PL seen-ACC hasSG although ‘… that Richard saw artists, although…’ B. A–OS … dass Richard Künstlerinnen gesehen haben, obwohl …... that RichardAMB.SG artistsAMB.PL seen-ACC havePL although ‘… that artists saw Richard, although...’ C. D–SO … dass Richard Künstlerinnen gedankt hat, obwohl … … that RichardAMB.SG artistsAMB.PL thanked-DAT hasSG although ‘… that Richard thanked artists, although…’ D. D–OS … dass Richard Künstlerinnen gedankt haben, obwohl… … that RichardAMB.SG artistsAMB.PL thanked-DAT havePL although ‘… that artists thanked Richard, although…’

Zuweisung grammatischer/thematischer Rollen vor dem Verb

Schlesewsky & Bornkessel (2006), Fig. 2 dass Richard Künstlerinnen gesehen hat, dass Richard Künstlerinnen gesehen haben dass Richard Künstlerinnen gedankt hat dass Richard Künstlerinnen gedankt haben

Unterschied zwischen Reanalyse Subjekt/Agens > direktes Objekt/Thema (P600) und Subjekt/Agens > indirektes Objekt/Rezipient (N400)

A. Act–SO Vielleicht droht Richard dem Regisseur seit… perhaps threatens RichardNOM/ACC/DAT [the director]DAT since… ‘Perhaps Richard threatens the director…’ B. Act–OS Vielleicht droht Richard der Regisseur… perhaps threatens RichardNOM/ACC/DAT [the director]NOM… ‘Perhaps the director threatens Richard…’ C. OExp–SO Vielleicht gefällt Richard dem Regisseur… perhaps pleases RichardNOM/ACC/DAT [the director]DAT… ‘Perhaps Richard is pleasing/appealing to the director…’ D. OExp–OS Vielleicht gefällt Richard der Regisseur… perhaps pleases RichardNOM/ACC/DAT [the director]NOM… ‘Perhaps the director is pleasing/appealing to Richard…’ ‘… that artists thanked Richard, although…’

Schlesewsky & Bornkessel (2006), Fig. 4 Vielleicht gefällt Richard dem Regisseur… Vielleicht gefällt Richard der Regisseur… Vielleicht droht Richard dem Regisseur… Vielleicht droht Richard der Regisseur…

Unterschied zwischen Reanalyse Subjekt/Agens > indirektes Objekt/Rezipient (N400, P600) und Subjekt/Thema > indirektes Objekt/Experiencer (N400)

Bornkessel et al. (2002), Fig. 1 unambiguous (1)…dass der Professor dem Gärtner dankt/gefällt that [the professor]-a NOMINATIVE[the gardener]- DATIVE thanks/pleases that the Professor thanks/is pleasing to the gardener > Reanalyse Subjekt/Agens > Subject/Experiencer Änderung der thematischen aber nicht der grammatischen Rolle ruft frühe Positivität hervor

Bornkessel et al. (2002), Fig. 2 ambiguous (2)..dass Maria Sängerinnen dankt/gefällt that Maria-AMB singers-AMB thanks/pleases that Maria thanks/is pleasing to singers > Der Effekt tritt nicht auf, wenn die NPs keinen Hinweis auf thematische/grammatische Rollen geben

1a correct/second argument animate Paul fragt sich, welchen Angler der Jäger gelobt hat. Paul asks himself [which angler] ACC [the hunter] NOM praised has 1b incorrect/second argument animate Paul fragt sich, welcher Angler der Jäger gelobt hat. Paul asks himself [which angler] NOM [the hunter] NOM praised has 2a correct/second argument inanimate Paul fragt sich, welchen Förster der Zweig gestreift hat. Paul asks himself [which forester] ACC [the twig] NOM touched has 2b incorrect/second argument inanimate Paul fragt sich, welcher Förster der Zweig gestreift hat. Paul asks himself [which forester] NOM [the twig] NOM touched has

Frisch & Schlesewsky (2001), Fig. 1 welchen Angler der Jäger gelobt hat. welcher Angler der Jäger gelobt hat. welchen Förster der Zweig gestreift hat. welcher Förster der Zweig gestreift hat.