Grounding and embodiment of concepts and meaning: a neurobiological perspective.

Abstract

Abstract: Questioning the neural basis of embodiment, the authors propose a neurobiological perspective on the grounding and embodiment of concepts and meaning. A neuromechanistic approach to cognition is endorsed by referring to Hebb's concept of distributed neuronal circuits or cell assemblies. The authors' arguments are linked to the most recent neurobiological data showing that concrete and abstract concepts in language processing activate brain regions for action and perception, in agreement with the embodied theory of language processing and understanding. Empirical evidence is taken from neuroimaging studies but also from studies on neurodevelopmental pathology such as autism spectrum conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)