A Study of Language in Functional Cortex of Audiphone Deaf Signers Used FMRI

Abstract

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to observe the changes of cerebral functional cortex in prelingual deaf singers for Chinese sign language(CSL). Results：During observing and imitating CSL, the activated areas in all groups include bilateral middle frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, superior parietal lobule, cuneate lobe, fusiform gyrus and lingual gurus. The activation of bilateral inferior frontal gyrus were found in groupⅠ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, but no activation in groupⅡ. The activation of bilateral superior temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule were found in groupⅠand Ⅲ, but no activation in others. The volumes of bilateral inferior frontal gyrus in groupⅠwere greater than those in group Ⅲ and Ⅳ. The volumes of bilateral superior temporal gyrus in groupⅠwere greater than those in group Ⅲ. Conclusion：The cortex in PDS had occurred reorganization, after losing their auditory and learning the CSL. The activation of linguistic cortex can be found during oberserving and imitating CSL in PDS. The secondary auditory cortex and association area turn to take part in processing visual language when no auditory afference, whereas the primary auditory cortex do not participate the reorganization. Additionally, the visual cortex of PDS is more sensitive than that of normal heaing individuals.