A magnetoencephalographic component whose latency reflects lexical frequency

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measured subjects' brain responses during a le xical decision task. The words employed come from six frequency categories. which were defined in terms of a linear decrease in log-frequency. Althoug h frequency effects in reaction-time are well-documented in studies of lexi cal access, a neural component whose latency predicts reaction time has not been discovered. This study identities an MEG component (the M350) whose l atency mirrors the frequency-effect. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.