Frequency-specific Brain Network Dynamics during Perceiving Real Words and Pseudowords

Many studies used EEG to investigate the brain mechanism of semantic processing and the dynamic brain connectivity at the word level. However, it is requiring more detailed dynamic analysis within a word to clarify the onset of dynamic brain network activity and priming effect. For this reason, this study focused on syllable level within a word to investigate semantic processing brain network dynamics for perceiving spoken real words and pseudowords using EEG data with the constraint of fMRI-based network templates. Results illustrated that real words can activate speech perception brain network rapidly, then finished very soon. When perceiving pseudowords, the onset of the perception brain network was slower, but activity lasted longer. If the first syllable of a real word has clear categorical features, the semantic categorization brain network would respond to it quickly as the priming effect. The frequency-specific analysis showed that the theta, alpha, and beta brain rhythms contribute more to the semantic processing of Chinese real words than the gamma.