The neural mechanisms underlying naming

As described in the previous chapter, cognitive models of naming generally agree that naming takes place across two main stages-conceptual and word-form processing. The conceptual stage encompasses computation of the semantic representation of the item. The word-form stage entails linking the semantic representation to phonological representation (likely via a modality-independent lexical representation or “hidden units”) and then executing the motor movements for spoken or written output. However, the task of naming often begins with recognition of a stimulus. That is, while one can certainly name a concept, naming is generally evaluated by naming stimuli, such as pictures, objects, or environmental sounds. Focal brain damage can selectively affect any of these four major stages of naming: recognition of the stimulus, the concept or meaning of the stimulus, access to the modality-independent lexical representation, or access to the spoken or written word form (see chapter 7, this volume, for further discussion). Here we will consider the lesions that selectively affect each of the cognitive processes underlying each of these stages of naming.