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Abstract:
Abstract: Previous neuroimaging studies have examined whether
the neural representation for signed language is similar to, or
differs from, the representation for spoken language. In contrast,
this study seeks to understand the relationship between sign
processing and the perception of human actions. H20-15 PET images
were obtained while 14 native deaf signers watched three different
types of human actions (self-grooming behaviors, transitive actions
and ASL). This hierarchy of movement conditions permits one to
examine cortical regions that are engaged during the perception of
human actions that are of increasing semantic and compositional
complexity. Statistical Parametric Mapping analysis was used to
quantify the results. Perception of self-grooming produced unique
activation in posterior medial occipital (BA 18/19) and parietal
lobe regions (BA 7). Perception of transitive actions resulted in
bilateral posterior temporal-parietal activation (BA 42/43), while
perception of signing resulted in left temporal (BA 42/43, 22) and
inferior frontal activation (BA 45). Conjunction analyses revealed
a common activation in the right middle and superior temporal gyri
(BA 21/22), cerebellum, and lateral visual extrastriate areas (BA
18, 19). Taken together our findings indicate that, in addition to
engaging cortical regions specialized for linguistic processing,
the processing of American Sign Language relies upon general
purpose cortical regions involved in the perception human
action.
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