Abstract
Idiomatic expressions (IE) are groups of words whose meaning is different from the sum of its components. Neural mechanisms underlying their processing are still debated, especially regarding lateralization, main structures involved, and whether this neural network is independent from the spoken language. To investigate the neural correlates of IE processing in healthy Spanish speakers.Twenty one native speakers of Spanish were asked to select one of 4 possible meanings for IE or literal sentences. fMRI scans were performed in a 3.0T scanner and processed by SPM 12 comparing IE vs. literal sentences. Laterality indices were calculated at the group level. IE activated a bilateral, slightly right-sided network comprising the pars triangularis and areas 9 and 10. In the left hemisphere (LH): the pars orbitalis, superior frontal, angular and fusiform gyrus. In the right hemisphere (RH): anterior insula, middle frontal, and superior temporal gyrus. This network reveals the importance of the RH, besides traditional LH areas, to comprehend IE. This agrees with the semantic coding model: the LH activates narrow semantic fields choosing one single meaning and ignoring others, and the RH detects distant semantic relationships, activating diffuse semantic fields. It is also in line with the configuration hypothesis: both meanings, literal and figurative, are executed simultaneously, until the literal meaning is definitively rejected and the figurative one is accepted. Processing IE requires the activation of fronto-temporal networks in both hemispheres. The results concur with previous studies in other languages, so these networks are independent from the spoken language. Understanding these mechanisms sheds light on IE processing difficulties in different clinical populations and must be considered when planning resective surgery.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Nahuel Chambeaud and Maria Andrea Olano for their assistance with
data collection.
Funding
This work has been partially financed with a grant provided by Buenos Aires University, Science and Technology Department (UBACyT).
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MB and LAF designed the study, collected the data and contributed to data analysis together. LAF designed the fMRI protocol. CL and VA designed the linguistic paradigm. MB wrote the manuscript and made anatomical analysis. BEA performed the laterality index SK supervised data analysis and revised the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.
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The study was approved by the institutional review board of the Hospital Roffo of Buenos Aires in agreement with the Declaration of Helsinki ethical standards.
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Consent to participate: Participants gave informed consent to take part in the study. Consent for publication: All authors approved the publication of the manuscript.
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Mariana, B., Carolina, L., Valeria, A. et al. Functional anatomy of idiomatic expressions. Brain Topogr 34, 489–503 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-021-00843-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-021-00843-3