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抽象概念语义表征的认知神经基础研究

王晓莎^1,2, 毕彦超^1,2,*

¹北京师范大学认知神经科学与学习国家重点实验室和IDG/麦戈文脑科学研究院，北京 100875；²北京师范大学神经影像大数据与人脑连接组学北京市重点实验室，北京 100875

摘要

抽象概念是人类概念系统的重要组成部分。随着脑功能影像技术的推广和广泛应用，以具体的客体和动作概念为研究对象的概念神经基础研究取得了一系列重要进展，但人脑表征和加工抽象概念的机制一直是个未解之谜。本文综述了抽象概念的认知理论和脑功能影像研究进展，发现抽象概念可通过语言和潜在具身信息进行表征，抽象概念的脑区基础与此认知框架有一定对应。未来研究需澄清语言和具身认知在抽象概念表征和加工的参与机制及其脑基础，从而推动人脑概念系统和相关类脑研究的进展。

关键词： 抽象概念; 脑功能影像研究; 语言加工; 具身认知

分类号：B842; Q427

The cognitive and neural bases of abstract concepts

WANG Xiao-Sha^1,2, BI Yan-Chao^1,2,*

¹National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China；²Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Abstract

Words denoting abstract concepts constitute nearly half of human lexicon and serve as building blocks of the human culture. Since the advent of non-invasive neuroimaging techniques, great progress has been made in revealing the neurobiological foundation of concrete object and action concepts, yet it remains unclear how abstract concepts are stored and processed in the brain. Here we review recent development in this field, focusing on both theoretical perspectives and neuroimaging findings. We found that abstract concepts can be represented via linguistic and experiential information; the neural correlates of abstract concepts are partly in line with such a theoretical framework. Future studies are warranted to uncover the cognitive and neural mechanisms of language and experience in abstract word representation, which will help to deepen our understanding of general computational principles of the human conceptual system and to promote the development of the brain-like artificial intelligence. 

Key words: abstract concepts; neuroimaging; language; embodied cognition

收稿日期：2018-05-02　　录用日期：2018-07-23

通讯作者：毕彦超　　E-mail: ybi@bnu.edu.cn

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2018.0078

引用本文：

王晓莎, 毕彦超. 抽象概念语义表征的认知神经基础研究[J]. 生理学报 2019; 71 (1): 117-126.

WANG Xiao-Sha, BI Yan-Chao. The cognitive and neural bases of abstract concepts. Acta Physiol Sin 2019; 71 (1): 117-126 (in Chinese with English abstract).