Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T14:32:39.308Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Brain structures playing a crucial role in the representation of tools in humans and non-human primates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2012

Guido Gainotti
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Neuropsychology Center, Policlinico Gemelli, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli, 8Italy. [email protected]

Abstract

The cortical representation of concepts varies according to the information critical for their development. Living categories, being mainly based upon visual information, are bilaterally represented in the rostral parts of the ventral stream of visual processing; whereas tools, being mainly based upon action data, are unilaterally represented in a left-sided fronto-parietal network. The unilateral representation of tools results from involvement in actions of the right side of the body.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barsalou, L. W. (2008) Grounded cognition. Annual Review of Psychology 59:617–45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fodor, J. (1987) Psychosemantics: The problem of meaning in the philosophy of mind. MIT Press.Google Scholar
Gainotti, G. (2006) Anatomical, functional and cognitive determinants of semantic memory disorders. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 30:577–94.Google Scholar
Kriegeskorte, N., Mur, M., Ruff, D. A., Kiani, R., Bodurka, J., Esteky, H., Tanaka, K. & Bandettini, P. A. (2008) Matching categorical object representations in inferior temporal cortex of man and monkey. Neuron 60(6):1126–41.Google Scholar
Lewis, J. W., Phinney, R. E., Brefczynski-Lewis, J. A. & DeYoe, E. A. (2006) Lefties get it “right” when hearing tool sounds. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 18:1314–30.Google Scholar
Willems, R. M., Toni, I., Hagoort, P. & Casasanto, D. (2010) Neural dissociations between action verb understanding and motor imagery. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 22:387400.Google Scholar