Cited by 478Memory and Neural MechanismsNeurobiology of Language and BilingualismNeural dynamics and brain function

The Neural Representation of Sequences: From Transition Probabilities to Algebraic Patterns and Linguistic Trees

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Dehaene, Stanislas, Meyniel, Florent, Wacongne, Catherine, Wang, Liping, Pallier, Christophe·2015·Neuron

Abstract

A sequence of images, sounds, or words can be stored at several levels of detail, from specific items and their timing to abstract structure. We propose a taxonomy of five distinct cerebral mechanisms for sequence coding: transitions and timing knowledge, chunking, ordinal knowledge, algebraic patterns, and nested tree structures. In each case, we review the available experimental paradigms and list the behavioral and neural signatures of the systems involved. Tree structures require a specific recursive neural code, as yet unidentified by electrophysiology, possibly unique to humans, and which may explain the singularity of human language and cognition.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.019

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Authors
Dehaene, S., Meyniel, F., Wacongne, C., Wang, L., & Pallier, C.
Affiliations
  • Université Paris-Sud (FR)
  • New York University Shanghai (CN)
Corresponding author
Dehaene, Stanislas
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-10
Volume
88
Issue
1
Pages
2-19
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1906221854
Cited by
478
References
168
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 63 · 2023: 50 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 24
FWCI
2.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
Keywords
sequence coding, transition probabilities, chunking, human language evolution
MeSH terms
Brain, Cognition, Humans, Language, Probability

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