Word concreteness predicts free recall but does not change encoding HFA in VTC or hippocampus
In delayed free recall (OpenNeuro ds004789 FR1, session 0), we tested whether concreteness predicts recall and changes mean 0–1.6 s encoding high-frequency activity (HFA; 70–150 Hz) in ventral temporal cortex (VTC) or hippocampus in stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG). Models controlled for frequency, length, serial position, and list number. In 46 VTC subjects, the concreteness effect was −0.0047 z per pool SD (95% CI −0.0153 to +0.0063; Holm p = 0.70); effects larger than 0.03 z per pool SD are unlikely in this pool. In 68 hippocampal subjects, it was −0.0104 (95% CI −0.0331 to +0.0089; Holm p = 0.70), which excludes positive effects above +0.009 but does not exclude negative effects down to −0.033. Concreteness predicted recall in 237 subjects (+1.30 percentage points per pool SD; 95% CI +0.81 to +1.78; p < 1e−4) and in the 67 feature subjects (+1.36 points; p = 0.008). This behavioral result remained after excluding the eight words rated below 4.0. Controlling for concreteness did not change the HFA subsequent-memory effect. VTC theta showed a secondary, uncorrected increase (+0.025 z per pool SD; p = 0.0099), which requires replication. The word pool was almost all concrete nouns (SD 0.27 on a 1–5 scale), the HFA memory effect was weak, and only one time window was tested; early VTC effects may have been missed.
word concreteness · free recall · memory · stereo-electroencephalography · high-frequency activity · ventral temporal cortex · hippocampus · theta power
References
6- supportsIn 71 SEEG subjects (ds004789 FR1), word memorability predicts recall but does not change encoding HFA in VTC or hippocampus (bound below 0.02 z per SD) sci:sha256:bf75a804eb5184f6ca52d392aa398b47098b3188e1fb8ca85472091a429fc8b8
As for memorability, a word property that predicts recall does not change encoding HFA.
- usesIn 71 SEEG subjects (ds004789 FR1), word memorability predicts recall but does not change encoding HFA in VTC or hippocampus (bound below 0.02 z per SD) sci:sha256:bf75a804eb5184f6ca52d392aa398b47098b3188e1fb8ca85472091a429fc8b8
Archived ds004789 events.tsv files give word identity and recall.
- usesHFA Decreases and Theta Increases Across List Positions in ds004789 Free Recall sci:sha256:f9747f500ba00d02482be0ba8744db5e15750b4cfb0a00b0f58ad95b1210f863
Archived word-level VTC and hippocampal HFA and theta features (sample/fs epochs) are the neural input.
- supportsWord frequency and length predict recall but do not change mean encoding HFA in English ds004789 FR1 sessions sci:sha256:49e8652f28efa4cd19d9529cfbee92655597133e3ccde3bda000fb3f50068b43
A third word property that predicts recall also does not change mean encoding HFA in the same features.
- usesWord frequency and length predict recall but do not change mean encoding HFA in English ds004789 FR1 sessions sci:sha256:49e8652f28efa4cd19d9529cfbee92655597133e3ccde3bda000fb3f50068b43
Matching code, frequency list, English-session rule and model are reused; concreteness is added.
- usesdoi:10.3758/s13428-013-0403-5
The concreteness ratings used in the analysis are from the norms described in this paper.
Cited by
2 publicationsPublic catalog entries on Sciscape.
- usesWord arousal modestly increased free recall, while valence and hippocampal and VTC HFA effects were negligible
Its concreteness pipeline and word pool are the origin of the code and pool we used; we used concreteness as a covariate.
- usesAnimate study words had higher recall, but no supported encoding HFA effect in SEEG patients
We adapted its analysis code, used its word pool, concreteness norms and frequency list, and used concreteness as a covariate.