EXP/MHC-PCN/0299/2013 – “Do reading strategies modulate the word recognition potential (N170) and its hemispheric lateralization?” Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Project coordinated by Luís Faísca (Universidade do Algarve).
Despite converging evidence from hemodynamic and electrophysiological studies that a left-lateralized activation is characteristic of visual word processing in the brain, it is not yet clear which factors might explain the different findings concerning the Word Recognition Potential (WRP) hemispheric topography. In this project, we intend to clarify if the right-left lateralization of the WRP is related to the use of different reading strategies. Several reasons seem to support the hypothetic role of reading strategies as a factor that might modulate the brain tuning to print. First of all, the reading tasks that have been used in most studies encourage whole word recognition (implicit reading); second, several psycholinguistic and orthographic characteristics of the stimulus has not been controlled for; finally, the way WRP right-left laterality is evaluated is not homogenous (relative vs. absolute lateralization measures). In addition, the relation between the WRP and word reading models is still unclear, preventing a full understanding of the cognitive processes underlying this electrophysiological response.
Overall, this project explores the relation between the WRP and cognitive models for word reading, including: 1) if the reading strategies (lexical vs sublexical) modulate the electrical negative response at the occipito-temporal lobe component peaking at 130-170 ms after word onset; and 2) if the different hemispheric lateralization WRP findings are associated with different reading strategies.
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