Abstract：
In this chapter, the literature concerning the dissociation between concrete and abstract words is reviewed, with a specific focus on the role of the temporal lobes. A number of studies have demonstrated the so-called \"concreteness effect,\" that is, the superior processing of concrete versus abstract words. However, some neuropsychological patients have been described with a reversal of concreteness effect, namely, a better performance with abstract than concrete words. Available data suggest that the most frequent causes of this reversed effect are herpes simplex encephalitis and semantic dementia, which typically affect bilaterally anterior temporal regions. Direct electrical stimulation of the left temporal pole further supports this correlation, while the neuroimaging literature is more controversial. In fact, data from neuroimaging studies show either that abstract and concrete noun processing at least partly relies on the activation of a common left-lateralized network, or that abstract word processing is supported by the activation of networks within the left inferior frontal gyrus and the middle temporal gyrus. In between abstract and concrete concepts are idioms, which are represented by concrete actions conveying abstract mental states and events. The involvement of the temporal lobes in processing this particular figure of language is discussed.
摘要：
在这一章中,回顾了关于具体词和抽象词之间的分离的文献，特别关注颞叶的作用。许多研究证明了所谓的“具体性效应”，“也就是说，具体词与抽象词的优越加工。然而,一些神经心理学患者被描述为具有具体效应的逆转，即,抽象的表现比具体的词更好。现有数据表明，这种逆转效应的最常见原因是单纯疱疹性脑炎和语义痴呆，通常影响双侧前颞区。左颞极的直接电刺激进一步支持这种相关性，而神经影像学文献则更具争议性。事实上,神经影像学研究的数据表明，抽象和具体的名词处理至少部分依赖于共同的左侧网络的激活，或者抽象文字处理由左额下回和颞中回网络的激活支持。在抽象和具体概念之间是习语，以传达抽象精神状态和事件的具体行动为代表。讨论了颞叶在处理这种特定语言文字中的参与。
