“The Mute Who Can Sing”: a cortical stimulation study on singing

2009 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck-Emmanuel Roux ◽  
Stefano Borsa ◽  
Jean-François Démonet

Object In an attempt to identify cortical areas involved in singing in addition to language areas, the authors used a singing task during direct cortical mapping in 5 patients who were amateur singers and had undergone surgery for brain tumors. The organization of the cortical areas involved in language and singing was analyzed in relation with these surgical data. Methods One left-handed and 4 right-handed patients with brain tumors in left (2 cases) and right (3 cases) hemispheres and no significant language or singing deficits underwent surgery with the “awake surgery” technique. All patients had a special interest in singing and were involved in amateur singing activities. They were tested using naming, reading, and singing tasks. Results Outside primary sensorimotor areas, singing interferences were rare and were exclusively localized in small cortical areas (< 1 cm2). A clear distinction was found between speech and singing in the Broca region. In the Broca region, no singing interference was found in areas in which interference in naming and reading tasks were detected. Conversely, a specific singing interference was found in nondominant middle frontal gyri in one patient. This interference consisted of abrupt singing arrest without apparent face, mouth, and tongue contraction. Finally, nonspecific singing interferences were found in the right and left precentral gyri in all patients (probably by interference in final articulatory mechanisms of singing). Conclusions Dissociations between speech and singing found outside primary sensorimotor areas showed that these 2 functions use, in some cortical stages, different cerebral pathways.

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 787-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Lubrano ◽  
Franck-Emmanuel Roux ◽  
Jean-François Démonet

Object. The aim of this study was to determine whether cortical areas involved in the writing process are associated with reading or naming areas in patients undergoing surgery for brain tumors in frontal areas. This study was undertaken to spare all language areas found in patients during surgery. Methods. Fourteen patients (eight women and six men [mean age 47 years] of whom 12 were right handed, two left handed, 12 monolingual, and two bilingual) who harbored brain tumors in the left (11 patients) or right (three patients) frontal gyri or in rolandic areas, were tested by direct stimulation by using the awake surgery technique for direct brain mapping. Mapping of the frontal gyri was performed using naming, reading, and writing under dictation tasks in the appropriate language(s). Considerable individual variability in language organization among patients was observed. Interferences in writing were found during direct stimulation in the frontal gyri, in cortical sites common or not common to interferences in naming or reading. In dominant regions, patterns of writing dysfunctions were variable and included writing arrest, illegible script, letter omissions, and paragraphia. These dysfunctions were nonspecific (stimulation-induced eye movements) in nondominant frontal regions and in rolandic gyri (hand contractions). In the same patient, different writing impairments could sometimes be observed during stimulation of different sites. As is the case for naming or reading interference sites, writing interference sites could be extremely localized (1 cm2 in diameter). In this group of patients, writing interference sites found in Broca areas were associated with other sites of language interference, whereas writing-specific interference sites were found twice in the dominant middle frontal gyrus. Conclusions. In this series, we found that writing interference sites could be detected by direct cortical stimulation in dominant inferior and middle frontal gyri regardless of whether they were associated with naming or reading interference sites. Writing disorders elicited by direct stimulation in the frontal lobes are varied and probably depend on the functional status of the stimulated cortical area.


2009 ◽  
Vol 110 (6) ◽  
pp. 1291-1299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck-Emmanuel Roux ◽  
Leila Boukhatem ◽  
Louisa Draper ◽  
Oumar Sacko ◽  
Jean-François Démonet

Object A naming task has been used to spare cortical areas involved in language. In the present study, a calculation task was combined with electrostimulation mapping (awake surgery) to spare cortical areas involved in calculation in patients undergoing surgery for brain lesions. The organization of language and calculation areas was analyzed in relation to these surgical data. Methods Twenty patients with brain lesions close to areas possibly involved in calculation (dominant parietal lobe and F2) were prospectively studied over a 4-year period. Four patients had preoperative symptoms of acalculia and therefore were not included in the brain mapping procedure. Results In 16 patients, direct electrostimulation caused calculation interferences in localized small cortical areas (< 2 cm2). Of the 53 calculation interferences found, 23 were independent of language areas, especially those in the inferior left parietal lobule. Various patterns of interference were observed (11 complete acalculia, 5 acalculia with wrong answers, 2 hesitations, and 5 mixed responses), although error patterns were fairly similar across angular, parietal, and frontal stimulation sites. Calculation areas in 4 patients could not be spared for oncological reasons; postoperatively, 3 of these patients showed significant acalculia symptoms. In contrast, none of the patients whose calculation areas were spared had arithmetic difficulties 1 month after surgery. Improvements in acalculia symptoms after surgery were also found in 3 of the 4 patients with preoperative calculation difficulties. Conclusions To limit the risk of personal and professional disturbances caused by acquired anarithmetia in patients undergoing surgery for brain tumors or epilepsy, the authors think it is necessary to use a calculation task during brain mapping, especially when operating in the dominant parietal lobe.


2017 ◽  
Vol 06 (01) ◽  
pp. 041-043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrej Vranic ◽  
Blaz Koritnik ◽  
Jasmina Markovic-Bozic

Introduction Low-grade gliomas (LGG) are slow-growing primary brain tumors in adults, with high tropism for eloquent areas. Standard approach in treatment of LGG is awake craniotomy with intraoperative cortical mapping — a method which is usually used on adult and fully cooperative patients. Case Report We present the case of a patient with learning disabilities (PLD) who was operated for left insular LGG awake craniotomy, and intraoperative cortical mapping were performed and the tumor was gross totally removed. Conclusion Awake surgery for left insular LGG removal is challenging; however, it can be performed safely and successfully on PLD.


2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 857-864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck-Emmanuel Roux ◽  
Michel Trémoulet

Object. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of how multiple languages are represented in the human brain, the authors studied bilingual patients who underwent surgery for brain tumors, during which the authors mapped cortical language sites by using electrostimulation. Methods. Reading, counting, and word retrieval tasks were studied in 12 right-handed bilingual patients with no language deficit. All bilingual patients were native to France. One patient spoke four languages. The patients constituted a nonhomogeneous group in terms of language proficiency or age of acquisition. Languages were evaluated and classified into three major groups, depending on proficiency and date of acquisition. Strict conditions of language site validation were applied, separating typical anomia sites from speech arrest or other language sites (such as hesitation sites). A total of 30 speech arrest sites, 16 anomia sites, and three sites of language difficulties (not typically classified as speech arrest) were found throughout the 26 language studies performed. Strict overlapping of language areas (for all language tasks) was found in five patients, whereas the remaining seven had at least one area that was language-specific and sometimes task-specific. Specific areas for a particular language were found for word retrieval tasks (anomia) in eight sites (50%) but also in six (20%) of the reading or counting sites (speech arrest), either in frontal (three patients) or in temporoparietal (four patients) regions. Among the four early bilingual patients tested (languages acquired before the age of 7 years), three had language-specific cortical areas. Interestingly, six patients in this series who had a discrepancy between two languages did not have more cortical areas devoted to the less proficient language (with acknowledgment of the limit in cortical exposure available for testing by the craniotomy). Conclusions. In this series, the authors found that bilingual patients could have common but also different cortical areas for both languages in temporoparietal areas and in frontal areas. In some cases, the authors found that language tasks such as counting, reading, or word retrieval in different languages can be sustained by language- and task-specific cortical areas. In bilingual patients, cortical mapping should ideally be performed using different language tasks in all languages in which the patient is fluent.


2006 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franck-Emmanuel Roux ◽  
Vincent Lubrano ◽  
Valérie Lauwers-Cances ◽  
Christopher R. Mascott ◽  
Jean-François Démonet

Object It has been hypothesized that a certain degree of specialization exists within language areas, depending on some specific lexical repertories or categories. To spare hypothetical category-specific cortical areas and to gain a better understanding of their organization, the authors studied patients who had undergone electrical stimulation mapping for brain tumors and they compared an object-naming task with a category-specific task (color naming). Methods Thirty-six patients with no significant preoperative language deficit were prospectively studied during a 2-year period. Along with a reading task, both object- and color-naming tasks were used in brain mapping. During color naming, patients were asked to identify 11 visually presented basic colors. The modality specificity of the colornaming sites found was subsequently tested by asking patients to retrieve the color attributes of objects. High individual variability was observed in language organization among patients and in the tasks performed. Significant interferences in color naming were found in traditional language regions—that is, Broca (p < 0.003) and Wernicke centers (p = 0.05)—although some color-naming areas were occasionally situated outside of these regions. Color-naming interferences were exclusively localized in small cortical areas (< 1 cm2). Anatomical segregation of the different naming categories was apparent in 10 patients; in all, 13 color-specific naming areas (that is, sites evoking no object-naming interference) were detected in the dominant-hemisphere F3 and the supramarginal, angular, and posterior parts of the temporal gyri. Nevertheless, no specific brain region was found to be consistently involved in color naming (p > 0.05). At five sites, although visually presented color-naming tasks were impaired by stimulation, auditory color naming (for example, “What color is grass?”) was performed with no difficulty, showing that modality-specific areas can be found during naming. Conclusions Within language areas, a relative specialization of cortical language areas for color naming can be found during electrical stimulation mapping.


2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. E4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Talacchi ◽  
Giovanna Maddalena Squintani ◽  
Barbara Emanuele ◽  
Vincenzo Tramontano ◽  
Barbara Santini ◽  
...  

Object The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of intraoperative visuospatial mapping with the same criteria currently used to define essential language areas. Methods The authors compared surgical procedures in 2 patients with similar tumors (Grade II oligodendroglioma in the right parietal lobe) undergoing awake, image-assisted surgery for lesion removal with intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. The line bisection task was used in both patients but with different criteria. Results In the first case, the authors respected any area, even within the tumor, where significant interference was found (a stimulation-induced error in 2 of 3 applications defined an essential area). In the second case, they removed 1 essential area located in the tumor and recorded an uneventful clinical response soon thereafter. They continued to monitor the patient without stimulation and stopped the resection when the patient was close to the criteria valid for defining spatial neglect. The signs of spatial neglect were present for 3 days postoperatively and then cleared spontaneously. Subtotal tumor removal was achieved in both cases. Conclusions Evidence in the present study reveals that areas for visuospatial functions cannot be assessed with the same criteria used for language functions, since essential areas located in the tumor can be safely removed.


In current forensic medicine practice, the need for the development of new, scientifically based approaches and methods of forensic medical identification is still very important. The number of left-handed people in the world varies from 5 to 30 %, and it can be useful in forensic practice. The possibility of establishing a dominating hand based on the intensity of dental caries (CFE - CARIES-FILLIN-EXTRACTION index) was studied. Taking into consideration the intensity of caries damage to the teeth on the right and left sides of right-handed, left-handed and ambidextras people, we offered and calculated the CFE difference index: «CFE on the right – CFE on the left». Significant differences in the CFE indexes can help to determine what hand has been predominant and it might be useful for forensic specialists.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
Mariya Sedunova ◽  
Liliya Konovalova

International potential and consequent greater competition in belt wrestling increase the significance of assessing quantitative and qualitative indicators of competitive activity of the strongest wrestlers in the world. It is important to identify the sport development trends and to search for effective ways and tools for achievement of the sport excellence. Purpose: to reveal the features of efficient competitive activities of the world leading wrestlers on the basis of analysis of group differences in technical and tactical excellence indicators. Materials and methods of research. We analyzed videos of 285 events with participation of 197 wrestlers competing at the Belt Wrestling World Championship 2019 in Kazan. We registered the following indicators of competitive activity: the total and average number of fighting techniques, including techniques executed to the right and to the left side within 4 minutes of combat; number and types of technical actions of competition winners among men and women. Research results and discussion. The paper focuses on the comparative analysis of technical and tactical skills of men and women, the winners of the Belt Wrestling World Championship. The research revealed distinguishing features of the winner’s technical toolkit including the diversity of technical and tactical actions, a balance in the knowledge of the right and left-handed techniques. At the same time, the analysis of technical and tactical actions in women wrestling shows the backlog of female athletes in these components of technical fitness.


1976 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 255-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Hatta

Study of matching judgment was designed to demonstrate an effect of lateral onset asynchrony in left-handed subjects, 7 males and 8 females. Japanese Hirakana letters or random forms were presented to one visual field first and to the other visual field second. 15 left-handers were requested to judge whether the successively presented stimuli were “same” or “different.” The results showed that for both types of stimuli there are no differences in accuracy of matching judgment whether the standard stimulus was presented to the right visual field first or to the left. These results indicate that the left-handed subjects may have a tendency toward hemispheric equi-potentiality for recognition of both verbal and non-verbal materials.


1989 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. McFarland ◽  
Robert Kennison

Music was played monaurally to 80 right-handed and 80 left-handed subjects. Right-handers reported more positive and less negative affect if the music was to the right ear. Left-handers reported experiencing more positive and less negative affect during music to the left ear. The hand × ear interaction was significant. The valence of emotional responses to the music seems influenced by a combination of at least two factors, (1) differences between left- and right-handers in the cerebral processing of emotional valence and (2) differences in the processing of emotional valence within each handedness group depending upon which hemisphere was initially most strongly engaged by the music. These results partially corroborate and extend the findings of previous studies in which briefer stimuli were presented tachistoscopically or dichotically. It is concluded that, while there is hemispheric asymmetry in the processing of emotional valence, the direction of the asymmetry may be associated with the handedness of the subjects.


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