The Location and Effects of Visual Hemisphere-Specific Stimulation on Reading Fluency in Children With the Characteristics of Dyslexia

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bobbie Jean Koen ◽  
Jacqueline Hawkins ◽  
Xi Zhu ◽  
Ben Jansen ◽  
Weihua Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Reading Disabilities ◽  
Reading Speed ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Reading Proficiency ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Visual Word Form Area ◽  
Specific Stimulation ◽  
The Right

Fluency is used as an indicator of reading proficiency. Many students with reading disabilities are unable to benefit from typical interventions. This study is designed to replicate Lorusso, Facoetti, Paganoni, Pezzani, and Molteni’s (2006) work using FlashWord, a computer program that tachistoscopically presents words in the right or left visual hemi-field in English and locates through fMRI imaging the processing areas involved in fluency development. Our participants were 15 students who were ages 8 to 19 years and had reading disabilities randomly assigned to Intervention ( n = 9) and Delayed Intervention ( n = 6) groups. Functional imaging studies focused on analyzing activations in the left hemisphere (LH) superior temporal gyrus, the inferior frontal gyrus, and the LH inferior occipito-temporal/fusiform area (visual-word form area [VWFA]). Analysis of intervention data showed that 6 of the 9 Intervention group participants (67%) achieved levels of automatic processing and increased their reading rate by an average of 20 words per minute after participating in the FlashWord intervention. Analyses of fMRI group activation maps and mean activation levels in regions of interest document processing changes in VWFA activations that could be related to the increase in reading speed and confirm these locations as essential to developing fluency.

Humor Comprehension and Appreciation: An fMRI Study

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 1789-1798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Bartolo ◽  
Francesca Benuzzi ◽  
Luca Nocetti ◽  
Patrizia Baraldi ◽  
Paolo Nichelli
Keyword(s):  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Lesion ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
The Right

Humor is a unique ability in human beings. Suls [A two-stage model for the appreciation of jokes and cartoons. In P. E. Goldstein & J. H. McGhee (Eds.), The psychology of humour. Theoretical perspectives and empirical issues. New York: Academic Press, 1972, pp. 81–100] proposed a two-stage model of humor: detection and resolution of incongruity. Incongruity is generated when a prediction is not confirmed in the final part of a story. To comprehend humor, it is necessary to revisit the story, transforming an incongruous situation into a funny, congruous one. Patient and neuroimaging studies carried out until now lead to different outcomes. In particular, patient studies found that right brain-lesion patients have difficulties in humor comprehension, whereas neuroimaging studies suggested a major involvement of the left hemisphere in both humor detection and comprehension. To prevent activation of the left hemisphere due to language processing, we devised a nonverbal task comprising cartoon pairs. Our findings demonstrate activation of both the left and the right hemispheres when comparing funny versus nonfunny cartoons. In particular, we found activation of the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47), the left superior temporal gyrus (BA 38), the left middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), and the left cerebellum. These areas were also activated in a nonverbal task exploring attribution of intention [Brunet, E., Sarfati, Y., Hardy-Bayle, M. C., & Decety, J. A PET investigation of the attribution of intentions with a nonverbal task. Neuroimage, 11, 157–166, 2000]. We hypothesize that the resolution of incongruity might occur through a process of intention attribution. We also asked subjects to rate the funniness of each cartoon pair. A parametric analysis showed that the left amygdala was activated in relation to subjective amusement. We hypothesize that the amygdala plays a key role in giving humor an emotional dimension.

scholarly journals Developmental Trajectories of Letter and Speech Sound Integration During Reading Acquisition

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iliana I. Karipidis ◽  
Georgette Pleisch ◽  
Sarah V. Di Pietro ◽  
Gorka Fraga-González ◽  
Silvia Brem
Keyword(s):  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Reading Acquisition ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Audiovisual Integration ◽  
Reading Outcomes ◽  
Audiovisual Processing ◽  
Occipitotemporal Cortex

Reading acquisition in alphabetic languages starts with learning the associations between speech sounds and letters. This learning process is related to crucial developmental changes of brain regions that serve visual, auditory, multisensory integration, and higher cognitive processes. Here, we studied the development of audiovisual processing and integration of letter-speech sound pairs with an audiovisual target detection functional MRI paradigm. Using a longitudinal approach, we tested children with varying reading outcomes before the start of reading acquisition (T1, 6.5 yo), in first grade (T2, 7.5 yo), and in second grade (T3, 8.5 yo). Early audiovisual integration effects were characterized by higher activation for incongruent than congruent letter-speech sound pairs in the inferior frontal gyrus and ventral occipitotemporal cortex. Audiovisual processing in the left superior temporal gyrus significantly increased from the prereading (T1) to early reading stages (T2, T3). Region of interest analyses revealed that activation in left superior temporal gyrus (STG), inferior frontal gyrus and ventral occipitotemporal cortex increased in children with typical reading fluency skills, while poor readers did not show the same development in these regions. The incongruency effect bilaterally in parts of the STG and insular cortex at T1 was significantly associated with reading fluency skills at T3. These findings provide new insights into the development of the brain circuitry involved in audiovisual processing of letters, the building blocks of words, and reveal early markers of audiovisual integration that may be predictive of reading outcomes.

Impact of Intensive Summer Reading Intervention for Children With Reading Disabilities and Difficulties in Early Elementary School

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna A. Christodoulou ◽  
Abigail Cyr ◽  
Jack Murtagh ◽  
Patricia Chang ◽  
Jiayi Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Reading Intervention ◽  
Oral Reading ◽  
Reading Disabilities ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Summer Reading ◽  
Pseudoword Reading ◽  
Intensive Reading

Efficacy of an intensive reading intervention implemented during the nonacademic summer was evaluated in children with reading disabilities or difficulties (RD). Students (ages 6–9) were randomly assigned to receive Lindamood-Bell’s Seeing Stars program ( n = 23) as an intervention or to a waiting-list control group ( n = 24). Analysis of pre- and posttesting revealed significant interactions in favor of the intervention group for untimed word and pseudoword reading, timed pseudoword reading, oral reading fluency, and symbol imagery. The interactions mostly reflected (a) significant declines in the nonintervention group from pre- to posttesting, and (2) no decline in the intervention group. The current study offers direct evidence for widening differences in reading abilities between students with RD who do and do not receive intensive summer reading instruction. Intervention implications for RD children are discussed, especially in relation to the relevance of summer intervention to prevent further decline in struggling early readers.

Dissociable brain correlates for depression, anxiety, dissociation, and somatization in depersonalization-derealization disorder

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin Lemche ◽  
Simon A. Surguladze ◽  
Michael J. Brammer ◽  
Mary L. Phillips ◽  
Mauricio Sierra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Caudate Head ◽  
Brain Correlates ◽  
The Right

ObjectiveThe cerebral mechanisms of traits associated with depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPRD) remain poorly understood.MethodHappy and sad emotion expressions were presented to DPRD and non-referred control (NC) subjects in an implicit event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) design, and correlated with self report scales reflecting typical co-morbidities of DPRD: depression, dissociation, anxiety, somatization.ResultsSignificant differences between the slopes of the two groups were observed for somatization in the right temporal operculum (happy) and ventral striatum, bilaterally (sad). Discriminative regions for symptoms of depression were the right pulvinar (happy) and left amygdala (sad). For dissociation, discriminative regions were the left mesial inferior temporal gyrus (happy) and left supramarginal gyrus (sad). For state anxiety, discriminative regions were the left inferior frontal gyrus (happy) and parahippocampal gyrus (sad). For trait anxiety, discriminative regions were the right caudate head (happy) and left superior temporal gyrus (sad).DiscussionThe ascertained brain regions are in line with previous findings for the respective traits. The findings suggest separate brain systems for each trait.ConclusionOur results do not justify any bias for a certain nosological category in DPRD.

scholarly journals Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on the Right Superior Temporal Gyrus for Severe Aphasia Caused by Damage to the Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mimpei Kawamura ◽  
Nobuhiro Takahashi ◽  
Yasutaka Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Verbal Expression ◽  
Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
The Right ◽  
Low Frequency Rtms

Several reports on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the treatment of aphasia caused by damage to the left inferior frontal gyrus state that low-frequency rTMS therapy for the right inferior frontal gyrus, which is contralateral to the focus area, is effective for improving verbal expression. However, most of these reports have studied the effects of rTMS therapy for comparatively mild aphasia. This study attempted to perform low-frequency rTMS on the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (BA22), which is the center for language reception for aphasia patients with a drastic decline in verbal expression due to damage to the left inferior frontal gyrus and a considerable decline in language perception. The participants performed a language task that was displayed on a computer monitor during rTMS. In addition, intensive speech-language and hearing therapy was performed by the therapist after rTMS. This study reports that a resultant improvement in language perception was observed in the activated brain regions based on neuropsychological tests and functional magnetic resonance imaging. This study is considered to be significant as it highlights a new method of rTMS treatment for severe aphasia.

scholarly journals The Neural Correlate of Speech Rhythm as Evidenced by Metrical Speech Processing

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eveline Geiser ◽  
Tino Zaehle ◽  
Lutz Jancke ◽  
Martin Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Supramarginal Gyrus ◽  
Implicit Processing ◽  
Speech Rhythm ◽  
Temporal Intervals ◽  
Suprasegmental Cues ◽  
The Right

The present study investigates the neural correlates of rhythm processing in speech perception. German pseudosentences spoken with an exaggerated (isochronous) or a conversational (nonisochronous) rhythm were compared in an auditory functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment. The subjects had to perform either a rhythm task (explicit rhythm processing) or a prosody task (implicit rhythm processing). The study revealed bilateral activation in the supplementary motor area (SMA), extending into the cingulate gyrus, and in the insulae, extending into the right basal ganglia (neostriatum), as well as activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) related to the performance of the rhythm task. A direct contrast between isochronous and nonisochronous sentences revealed differences in lateralization of activation for isochronous processing as a function of the explicit and implicit tasks. Explicit processing revealed activation in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), the right supramarginal gyrus, and the right parietal operculum. Implicit processing showed activation in the left supramarginal gyrus, the left pSTG, and the left parietal operculum. The present results indicate a function of the SMA and the insula beyond motor timing and speak for a role of these brain areas in the perception of acoustically temporal intervals. Secondly, the data speak for a specific task-related function of the right IFG in the processing of accent patterns. Finally, the data sustain the assumption that the right secondary auditory cortex is involved in the explicit perception of auditory suprasegmental cues and, moreover, that activity in the right secondary auditory cortex can be modulated by top-down processing mechanisms.

scholarly journals Individual differences in decoding skill, print exposure, and cortical structure in young adults

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton L. Johns ◽  
Andrew A. Jahn ◽  
Hannah R. Jones ◽  
Dave Kush ◽  
Peter J. Molfese ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Print Exposure ◽  
Cortical Structure ◽  
Visual Word Form Area ◽  
Cortical Grey Matter

This exploratory study investigated relations between individual differences in cortical grey matter structure and young adult readers' cognitive profiles. Whole-brain analyses revealed neuroanatomical correlations with word and nonword reading ability (decoding), and experience with printed matter. Decoding was positively correlated with grey matter volume (GMV) in left superior temporal sulcus, and thickness (GMT) in right superior temporal gyrus. Print exposure was negatively correlated with GMT in left inferior frontal gyrus (pars opercularis) and left fusiform gyrus (including the visual word form area). Both measures also correlated with supramarginal gyrus (SMG), but in spatially distinct subregions: decoding was positively associated with GMV in left anterior SMG, and print exposure was negatively associated with GMT in left posterior SMG. Our comprehensive approach to assessment both confirms and refines our understanding of the novel relation between the structure of pSMG and proficient reading, and unifies previous research relating cortical structure and reading skill.

scholarly journals Activation in the right inferior parietal lobule reflects the representation of musical structure beyond simple pitch discrimination

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Royal ◽  
Dominique T Vuvan ◽  
Benjamin Rich Zendel ◽  
Nicolas Robitaille ◽  
Marc Schönwiesner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Pitch Discrimination ◽  
Musical Structure ◽  
Inferior Parietal Lobule ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Pitch Structure ◽  
Parietal Lobule ◽  
The Right ◽  
Tonal Pitch

Pitch discrimination tasks typically engage the superior temporal gyrus and the right inferior frontal gyrus. It is currently unclear whether these regions are equally involved in the processing of incongruous notes in melodies, which requires the representation of musical structure (tonality) in addition to pitch discrimination. To this aim, 14 participants completed two tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, one in which they had to identify a pitch change in a series of non-melodic repeating tones and a second in which they had to identify an incongruous note in a tonal melody. In both tasks, the deviants activated the right superior temporal gyrus. A contrast between deviants in the melodic task and deviants in the non-melodic task (melodic > non-melodic) revealed additional activity in the right inferior parietal lobule. Activation in the inferior parietal lobule likely represents processes related to the maintenance of tonal pitch structure in working memory during pitch discrimination.

scholarly journals Common and distinct patterns of intrinsic brain activity alterations in major depression and bipolar disorder: voxel-based meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaying Gong ◽  
Junjing Wang ◽  
Shaojuan Qiu ◽  
Pan Chen ◽  
Zhenye Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
The Right ◽  
Intrinsic Brain Activity

Abstract Identification of intrinsic brain activity differences and similarities between major depression (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) is necessary. However, results have not yet yielded consistent conclusions. A meta-analysis of whole-brain resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) studies that explored differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) between patients (including MDD and BD) and healthy controls (HCs) was conducted using seed-based d mapping software. Systematic literature search identified 50 studies comparing 1399 MDD patients and 1332 HCs, and 15 studies comparing 494 BD patients and 593 HCs. MDD patients displayed increased ALFF in the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) (including the medial orbitofrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], anterior cingulate cortex [ACC]), bilateral insula extending into the striatum and left supramarginal gyrus and decreased ALFF in the bilateral cerebellum, bilateral precuneus, and left occipital cortex compared with HCs. BD showed increased ALFF in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral insula extending into the striatum, right SFG, and right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and decreased ALFF in the bilateral precuneus, left cerebellum (extending to the occipital cortex), left ACC, and left STG. In addition, MDD displayed increased ALFF in the left lingual gyrus, left ACC, bilateral precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus, and left STG and decreased ALFF in the right insula, right mPFC, right fusiform gyrus, and bilateral striatum relative to BD patients. Conjunction analysis showed increased ALFF in the bilateral insula, mPFC, and decreased ALFF in the left cerebellum in both disorders. Our comprehensive meta-analysis suggests that MDD and BD show a common pattern of aberrant regional intrinsic brain activity which predominantly includes the insula, mPFC, and cerebellum, while the limbic system and occipital cortex may be associated with spatially distinct patterns of brain function, which provide useful insights for understanding the underlying pathophysiology of brain dysfunction in affective disorders, and developing more targeted and efficacious treatment and intervention strategies.

scholarly journals Voxel-Based Meta-Analysis of Gray Matter Abnormalities in Multiple System Atrophy

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junyu Lin ◽  
Xinran Xu ◽  
Yanbing Hou ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
Huifang Shang
Keyword(s):  
Multiple System Atrophy ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Middle Temporal ◽  
The Right ◽  
Complementary Analysis

Purpose: This study aimed to identify consistent gray matter volume (GMV) changes in the two subtypes of multiple system atrophy (MSA), including parkinsonism subtype (MSA-P), and cerebellar subtype (MSA-C), by conducting a voxel-wise meta-analysis of whole brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies.Method: VBM studies comparing MSA-P or MSA-C and healthy controls (HCs) were systematically searched in the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science published from 1974 to 20 October 2020. A quantitative meta-analysis of VBM studies on MSA-P or MSA-C was performed using the effect size-based signed differential mapping (ES-SDM) method separately. A complementary analysis was conducted using the Seed-based d Mapping with Permutation of Subject Images (SDM-PSI) method, which allows a familywise error rate (FWE) correction for multiple comparisons of the results, for further validation of the results.Results: Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis of MSA-P subtype, comprising 136 MSA-P patients and 211 HCs. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis of MSA-C subtype, comprising 89 MSA-C patients and 134 HCs. Cerebellum atrophy was detected in both MSA-P and MSA-C, whereas basal ganglia atrophy was only detected in MSA-P. Cerebral cortex atrophy was detected in both subtypes, with predominant impairment of the superior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, temporal pole, insula, and amygdala in MSA-P and predominant impairment of the superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and lingual gyrus in MSA-C. Most of these results survived the FWE correction in the complementary analysis, except for the bilateral amygdala and the left caudate nucleus in MSA-P, and the right superior temporal gyrus and the right middle temporal gyrus in MSA-C. These findings remained robust in the jackknife sensitivity analysis, and no significant heterogeneity was detected.Conclusion: A different pattern of brain atrophy between MSA-P and MSA-C detected in the current study was in line with clinical manifestations and provided the evidence of the pathophysiology of the two subtypes of MSA.

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