Stimulation Mode and Model of Word-picture Language Task in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Test for Post-stroke Aphasia (review) / 中国康复理论与实践

The cognitive neuroscience researches about post-stroke aphasia provide the interpretation of all aspects of linguistics. The word-picture research paradigm can be applied to assess different types of aphasia, in various ways of stimulation modes and models. It is more helpful combining functional magenetic resonance imaging to research the mechanism of brain damage and recovery objectively. The interactive application of language task and imaging has also become a new direction in the mechanism study of aphasia.

Aberrant Neural Activation Underlying Idiom Comprehension in Korean Children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

PURPOSE: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication impairments and repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. Impaired pragmatic language comprehension is a universal feature in individuals with ASD. However, the underlying neural basis of pragmatic language is poorly understood. In the present study, we examined neural activation patterns associated with impaired pragmatic language comprehension in ASD, compared to typically developing children (TDC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was applied to 15 children with ASD and 18 TDC using the Korean pragmatic language task. RESULTS: Children with ASD were less accurate than TDC at comprehending idioms, particularly when they were required to interpret idioms with mismatched images (mismatched condition). Children with ASD also showed different patterns of neural activity than TDC in all three conditions (neutral, matched, and mismatched). Specifically, children with ASD showed decreased activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (Brodmann area 47) in the mismatched condition, compared with TDC (IFG; t(31)=3.17, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that children with ASD face difficulties in comprehending pragmatic expressions and apply different pragmatic language processes at the neural level.

Idiom Comprehension Deficits in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Using a Korean Autism Social Language Task

PURPOSE: High-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves pragmatic impairment of language skills. Among numerous tasks for assessing pragmatic linguistic skills, idioms are important to evaluating high-functioning ASD. Nevertheless, no assessment tool has been developed with specific consideration of Korean culture. Therefore, we designed the Korean Autism Social Language Task (KASLAT) to test idiom comprehension in ASD. The aim of the current study was to introduce this novel psychological tool and evaluate idiom comprehension deficits in high-functioning ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants included 42 children, ages 6-11 years, who visited our child psychiatric clinic between April 2014 and May 2015. The ASD group comprised 16 children; the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) group consisted of 16 children. An additional 10 normal control children who had not been diagnosed with either disorder participated in this study. Idiom comprehension ability was assessed in these three groups using the KASLAT. RESULTS: Both ASD and ADHD groups had significantly lower scores on the matched and mismatched tasks, compared to the normal control children (matched tasks mean score: ASD 11.56, ADHD 11.56, normal control 14.30; mismatched tasks mean score: ASD 6.50, ADHD 4.31, normal control 11.30). However, no significant differences were found in scores of KASLAT between the ADHD and ASD groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that children with ASD exhibit greater impairment in idiom comprehension, compared to normal control children. The KASLAT may be useful in evaluating idiom comprehension ability.

A Study of Optimal SOAmin for Motor and Language Tasks in Event-related fMRl using Stochastic Design

PURPOSE: The minimum stimulus onset asynchronoy(SOAmin) is one of important experimental parameters for an event-related fMRl experiment designed with the stochastic stimulus. In this study, the most efficient SOAmin is explored for the stronger activation in motor and language tasks with the stimulus designed stochastically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The event-related fMRl during motor and language tasks were obtained in four normal right-handed subjects. EPI-BOLD sequence is used at 1.5 Tesla MR system for the acquisition of event-related fMRl. For each task the subjects are responded for the stimulus' with 2, 3, 4, and 6 seconds SOAmin. The obtained images are processed with SPM99, and the p value is set as 0.05 for the significant activation detection. The Z value and the number of activated pixels are compared for each task. RESULTS: For the motor task, the primary and supplementary motor areas are activated, and for the language task the consistent activated signals are detected in the Broca's. The activated signal is to be stronger for the shorter SOAmin for both motor and language tasks. At primary motor area, the activated signals is the strongest for 3 seconds SOAmin and for the supplementary motor area the result with 2 seconds SOAmin shows the strongest activation. And the result of language task shows the strongest activation at the 2 seconds SOAmin. CONCLUSION: In the event-related fMRl of motor and language tasks with the stochastically designed stimulus, the 2 or 3 seconds SOAmin is efficient for more activated and clustered activation.