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Where do you know what you know? The representation of semantic knowledge in the human brain
Patterson K, Nestor PJ, Rogers TT.. Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 2007-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Mr M, a patient with semantic dementia--a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the gradual deterioration of semantic memory--was being driven through the countryside to visit a friend and was able to remind his wife where to turn along the not-recently-travelled route. Then, pointing at the sheep in the field, he asked her "What are those things?" Prior to the onset of symptoms in his late 40s, this man had normal semantic memory. What has gone wrong in his brain to produce this dramatic and selective erosion of conceptual knowledge?
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Patterson, K., Nestor, P. J., & Rogers, T. T. (2007). Where do you know what you know? The representation of semantic knowledge in the human brain. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2277
Vancouver
Patterson K, Nestor PJ, Rogers TT. Where do you know what you know? The representation of semantic knowledge in the human brain. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. 2007. doi:10.1038/nrn2277. PMID: 18026167.
BibTeX
@article{patterson2007-18026167,
author = {Patterson, K. and Nestor, P. J. and Rogers, T. T.},
title = {{Where do you know what you know? The representation of semantic knowledge in the human brain}},
journal = {Nature reviews. Neuroscience},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1038/nrn2277},
pmid = {18026167},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2277}
}
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Key findings
- Then, pointing at the sheep in the field, he asked her "What are those things?" Prior to the onset of symptoms in his late 40s, this man had normal semantic memory.
- What has gone wrong in his brain to produce this dramatic and selective erosion of conceptual knowledge?
Why it matters
This paper discusses the representation of semantic knowledge in the human brain, illustrated by a patient with semantic dementia. It explores what goes wrong in the brain to cause a selective loss of conceptual knowledge.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nature reviews. Neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Nature reviews. Neuroscience: journal h-index 572 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 2,741 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 130.5 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 14 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 350 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Timothy T. Rogers: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18026167) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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