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Han Y, Jing Y, Li X, Zhou H, Deng F. Clinical characteristics of post-stroke basal ganglia aphasia and the study of language-related white matter tracts based on diffusion spectrum imaging. Neuroimage 2024; 295:120664. [PMID: 38825217 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroke often damages the basal ganglia, leading to atypical and transient aphasia, indicating that post-stroke basal ganglia aphasia (PSBGA) may be related to different anatomical structural damage and functional remodeling rehabilitation mechanisms. The basal ganglia contain dense white matter tracts (WMTs). Hence, damage to the functional tract may be an essential anatomical structural basis for the development of PSBGA. METHODS We first analyzed the clinical characteristics of PSBGA in 28 patients and 15 healthy controls (HCs) using the Western Aphasia Battery and neuropsychological test batteries. Moreover, we investigated white matter injury during the acute stage using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scans for differential tractography. Finally, we used multiple regression models in correlation tractography to analyze the relationship between various language functions and quantitative anisotropy (QA) of WMTs. RESULTS Compared with HCs, patients with PSBGA showed lower scores for fluency, comprehension (auditory word recognition and sequential commands), naming (object naming and word fluency), reading comprehension of sentences, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, along with increased scores in Hamilton Anxiety Scale-17 and Hamilton Depression Scale-17 within 7 days after stroke onset (P < 0.05). Differential tractography revealed that patients with PSBGA had damaged fibers, including in the body fibers of the corpus callosum, left cingulum bundles, left parietal aslant tracts, bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus II, bilateral thalamic radiation tracts, left fornix, corpus callosum tapetum, and forceps major, compared with HCs (FDR < 0.02). Correlation tractography highlighted that better comprehension was correlated with a higher QA of the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), corpus callosum forceps minor, and left extreme capsule (FDR < 0.0083). Naming was positively associated with the QA of the left IFOF, forceps minor, left arcuate fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus (UF) (FDR < 0.0083). Word fluency of naming was also positively associated with the QA of the forceps minor, left IFOF, and thalamic radiation tracts (FDR < 0.0083). Furthermore, reading was positively correlated with the QA of the forceps minor, left IFOF, and UF (FDR < 0.0083). CONCLUSION PSBGA is primarily characterized by significantly impaired word fluency of naming and preserved repetition abilities, as well as emotional and cognitive dysfunction. Damaged limbic pathways, dorsally located tracts in the left hemisphere, and left basal ganglia pathways are involved in PSBGA pathogenesis. The results of connectometry analysis further refine the current functional localization model of higher-order neural networks associated with language functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Han
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Jing
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Xuewei Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Hongwei Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
| | - Fang Deng
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, PR China.
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Han Y, Jing Y, Shi Y, Mo H, Wan Y, Zhou H, Deng F. The role of language-related functional brain regions and white matter tracts in network plasticity of post-stroke aphasia. J Neurol 2024; 271:3095-3115. [PMID: 38607432 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12358-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The neural mechanisms underlying language recovery after a stroke remain controversial. This review aimed to summarize the plasticity and reorganization mechanisms of the language network through neuroimaging studies. Initially, we discussed the involvement of right language homologues, perilesional tissue, and domain-general networks. Subsequently, we summarized the white matter functional mapping and remodeling mechanisms associated with language subskills. Finally, we explored how non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) promoted language recovery by inducing neural network plasticity. It was observed that the recruitment of right hemisphere language area homologues played a pivotal role in the early stages of frontal post-stroke aphasia (PSA), particularly in patients with larger lesions. Perilesional plasticity correlated with improved speech performance and prognosis. The domain-general networks could respond to increased "effort" in a task-dependent manner from the top-down when the downstream language network was impaired. Fluency, repetition, comprehension, naming, and reading skills exhibited overlapping and unique dual-pathway functional mapping models. In the acute phase, the structural remodeling of white matter tracts became challenging, with recovery predominantly dependent on cortical activation. Similar to the pattern of cortical activation, during the subacute and chronic phases, improvements in language functions depended, respectively, on the remodeling of right white matter tracts and the restoration of left-lateralized language structural network patterns. Moreover, the midline superior frontal gyrus/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex emerged as a promising target for NIBS. These findings offered theoretical insights for the early personalized treatment of aphasia after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Han
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuanyuan Jing
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanmin Shi
- Health Management (Physical Examination) Center, The Second Norman Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongbin Mo
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yafei Wan
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hongwei Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
| | - Fang Deng
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
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Morkovina O, Manukyan P, Sharapkova A. Picture naming test through the prism of cognitive neuroscience and linguistics: adapting the test for cerebellar tumor survivors-or pouring new wine in old sacks? Front Psychol 2024; 15:1332391. [PMID: 38566942 PMCID: PMC10985186 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1332391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
A picture naming test (PNT) has long been regarded as an integral part of neuropsychological assessment. In current research and clinical practice, it serves a variety of purposes. PNTs are used to assess the severity of speech impairment in aphasia, monitor possible cognitive decline in aging patients with or without age-related neurodegenerative disorders, track language development in children and map eloquent brain areas to be spared during surgery. In research settings, picture naming tests provide an insight into the process of lexical retrieval in monolingual and bilingual speakers. However, while numerous advances have occurred in linguistics and neuroscience since the classic, most widespread PNTs were developed, few of them have found their way into test design. Consequently, despite the popularity of PNTs in clinical and research practice, their relevance and objectivity remain questionable. The present study provides an overview of literature where relevant criticisms and concerns have been expressed over the recent decades. It aims to determine whether there is a significant gap between conventional test design and the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying lexical retrieval by focusing on the parameters that have been experimentally proven to influence picture naming. We discuss here the implications of these findings for improving and facilitating test design within the picture naming paradigm. Subsequently, we highlight the importance of designing specialized tests with a particular target group in mind, so that test variables could be selected for cerebellar tumor survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Morkovina
- Laboratory of Diagnostics and Advancing Cognitive Functions, Research Institute for Brain Development and Peak Performance, RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of English, Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Piruza Manukyan
- Laboratory of Diagnostics and Advancing Cognitive Functions, Research Institute for Brain Development and Peak Performance, RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia Sharapkova
- Laboratory of Diagnostics and Advancing Cognitive Functions, Research Institute for Brain Development and Peak Performance, RUDN University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of English Linguistics, Faculty of Philology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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Zhao K, Liu M, Yang F, Shu X, Sun G, Liu R, Zhao Y, Wang F, Xu B. Reorganization of the structural connectome during vision recovery in pituitary adenoma patients post-transsphenoidal surgery. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10813-10819. [PMID: 37702246 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Pituitary adenomas (PAs) can exert pressure on the optic apparatus, leading to visual impairment. A subset of patients may observe a swift improvement in their vision following surgery. Nevertheless, the alterations in the structural connectome during the early postoperative period remain largely unexplored. The research employed probabilistic tractography, graph theoretical analysis, and statistical methods on preoperative and postoperative structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor images from 13 PA patients. Postoperative analysis revealed an increase in global and local efficiency, signifying improved network capacity for parallel information transfer and fault tolerance, respectively. Enhanced clustering coefficient and reduced shortest path length were also observed, suggesting a more regular network organization and shortened communication steps within the brain network. Furthermore, alterations in node graphical properties were detected, implying a restructuring of the network's control points, possibly contributing to more efficient visual processing. These findings propose that rapid vision recovery post-surgery may be associated with significant reorganization of the brain's structural connectome, enhancing the efficiency and adaptability of the network, thereby facilitating improved visual processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Minghang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Fuxing Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian 362002, China
| | - Xujun Shu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210016, China
| | - Guochen Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Ruoyu Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Hainan hospital of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Sanya, Hainan 572013, China
| | - Fuyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Bainan Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
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Simic T, Desjardins MÈ, Courson M, Bedetti C, Houzé B, Brambati SM. Treatment-induced neuroplasticity after anomia therapy in post-stroke aphasia: A systematic review of neuroimaging studies. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2023; 244:105300. [PMID: 37633250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2023.105300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
We systematically reviewed the literature on neural changes following anomia treatment post-stroke. We conducted electronic searches of CINAHL, Cochrane Trials, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, MEDLINE-in-Process and PsycINFO databases; two independent raters assessed all abstracts and full texts. Accepted studies reported original data on adults with post-stroke aphasia, who received behavioural treatment for anomia, and magnetic resonance brain imaging (MRI) pre- and post-treatment. Search results yielded 2481 citations; 33 studies were accepted. Most studies employed functional MRI and the quality of reporting neuroimaging methodology was variable, particularly for pre-processing steps and statistical analyses. The most methodologically robust data were synthesized, focusing on pre- versus post-treatment contrasts. Studies more commonly reported increases (versus decreases) in activation following naming therapy, primarily in the left supramarginal gyrus, and left/bilateral precunei. Our findings highlight the methodological heterogeneity across MRI studies, and the paucity of robust evidence demonstrating direct links between brain and behaviour in anomia rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tijana Simic
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen Mary R.d., Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada; Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy Avenue, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada; Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal (HSCM), 5400 Boul Gouin O, Montréal, QC H4J 1C5, Canada.
| | - Marie-Ève Desjardins
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen Mary R.d., Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada; Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy Avenue, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada; Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal (HSCM), 5400 Boul Gouin O, Montréal, QC H4J 1C5, Canada
| | - Melody Courson
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen Mary R.d., Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada; Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy Avenue, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Christophe Bedetti
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen Mary R.d., Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada
| | - Bérengère Houzé
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen Mary R.d., Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada; Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy Avenue, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada
| | - Simona Maria Brambati
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Queen Mary R.d., Montréal, QC H3W 1W4, Canada; Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, 90 Vincent-d'Indy Avenue, Montréal, QC H2V 2S9, Canada; Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal (HSCM), 5400 Boul Gouin O, Montréal, QC H4J 1C5, Canada
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Shekari E, Nozari N. A narrative review of the anatomy and function of the white matter tracts in language production and comprehension. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1139292. [PMID: 37051488 PMCID: PMC10083342 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1139292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Much is known about the role of cortical areas in language processing. The shift towards network approaches in recent years has highlighted the importance of uncovering the role of white matter in connecting these areas. However, despite a large body of research, many of these tracts’ functions are not well-understood. We present a comprehensive review of the empirical evidence on the role of eight major tracts that are hypothesized to be involved in language processing (inferior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, extreme capsule, middle longitudinal fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, arcuate fasciculus, and frontal aslant tract). For each tract, we hypothesize its role based on the function of the cortical regions it connects. We then evaluate these hypotheses with data from three sources: studies in neurotypical individuals, neuropsychological data, and intraoperative stimulation studies. Finally, we summarize the conclusions supported by the data and highlight the areas needing further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Shekari
- Department of Neuroscience, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nazbanou Nozari
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC), Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Nazbanou Nozari
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