[Reaction times (RTS) and cognitive visual evoked potentials during reading--a compared study].

OBJECTIVE

The main aim of the experiment is to prove the Paivio's theory about the concrete-abstract effect.

METHODS

A psychoverbal stimulation interface, created by us, was experimented as an IT extension of an EEG/EMG device dedicated for the human brain Evoked Potentials acquisitions (EPs) and reaction times techniques in reading mechanisms assessment.

RESULTS

The shortest reaction time was achieved in tests at which the reading has no access to the meaning of words, for concrete word, in both hemisphere. But, in left hemisphere the reaction times for abstract words was shorter than for the abstract word in right hemisphere. EPs acquisition exhibits more negativity of N400 for concrete word and more reverberation of P650-N750 for abstract words.

CONCLUSIONS

The difference in mean reaction times sustain the Paivio's theory and the difference in amplitude of N400, P650-N750 for concrete and abstract nouns show that the electric activities of brain are correlated in time and in amplitude with the same effort of processing the words. The psycho-verbal stimulation interface can be used as a medical research tool for studying and assessment the cognitive processes of reading, memory or learning using the endogenous visual event related potentials and the psychometric reaction times.