Mandarin functional MRI Language paradigms.

He Ci,Pamela Thompson,Gloria Gonzálvez,John S Duncan,Andrea Hill,Andre Van Graan

doi:10.1002/brb3.525

He Ci, Pamela Thompson + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.525

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Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to implement convenient, fast, and accurate Mandarin task paradigms for functional MRI, and to locate the Chinese language functional areas in frontal and temporal lobes.Materials and MethodsNineteen healthy Chinese volunteers participated in this study, which utilized a block design with four language tasks: auditory naming (AN), picture naming (PN), verbal fluency‐character (VFC), and verbal fluency‐letter (VFL). All functional images were preprocessed by SPM 8, followed by first‐ and second‐level analyses and lateralization index calculation.ResultsGroup analyses showed that for AN and PN, maximal responses were located in the right superior temporal gyrus. The picture naming‐scrambled pictures and faces contrast gave maximal responses in the left fusiform gyrus; VFC in the left middle frontal gyrus and the left superior frontal gyrus. For VFL the maximal response was in the left superior temporal gyrus. There was some inconsistency of activations for individual subjects. At a threshold of Z > 2.5, 10 voxels extent, activations were seen in >50% subjects for AN in the right superior temporal gyrus, the right middle frontal gyrus, and the left middle temporal gyrus, for PN in the right superior temporal gyrus and for picture naming‐scrambled pictures and faces in left inferior frontal gyrus. As a group, the lateralization index of all contrasts were left hemisphere dominant in the frontal lobes. In the temporal lobe, the hemispheric dominance differed for different contrasts.ConclusionThese Chinese language stimulus paradigms activated language areas, and the functional regions of brain in different language tasks, and can now be piloted in clinical studies.

Highlights

Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases of central nervous system, and 30% become medically intractable with temporal lobe epilepsy being a common form (Linehan, Tellez-Zenteno, Burneo, & Berg, 2011)
BOLD signal acquired by single shot echo-planar imaging (EPI), TR = 2500 ms, TE = 22 ms, Flip angle = 90°, N.E.X = 1.00, FOV=24 cm × 24 cm, Thickness = 2.4 mm, Band width = 2.5 kHz, 64 × 64 matrix, covering the whole brain, 50 slices in total
Individual subjects, there were a good correlation of dominance in frontal and temporal lobe of auditory naming and auditory naming- auditory reverse (AN-auditory reversed (AR)) (Table 6, Fig. 7)

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases of central nervous system, and 30% become medically intractable with temporal lobe epilepsy being a common form (Linehan, Tellez-Zenteno, Burneo, & Berg, 2011). Chinese characters are morphemes independent of phonetic change, and the semantics are basically the same for a single Chinese character, but the tones for different dialects are mutually unintelligible, as a consequence fMRI experimental procedures for the Chinese language are relatively complex (Feng Yan-yun, 2011). It is important, to focus on semantics, instead of phonetics when developing an fMRI method to evaluate Chinese language function. This study used Chinese language stimuli, modified from English stimuli, in healthy volunteers, to explore activation patterns in Chinese people, and to explore the potential use in patients considering temporal lobe surgery

| Participants

| DISCUSSION

Findings

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