The brain functioning of aphasic Uyghur and Mandarin speakers after stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe any differences in the spontaneous activity of brain areas between Manda rin-speaking and Uyghur-speaking aphasics at rest and explore the reasons.Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to scan the brains of 15 Mandarin-speaking and 12 Uyghur-speaking subjects.Statistical parametric maps of the active brain areas were prepared and low-frequency amplitude (ALEF) indexes were calculated.Results While at rest the ALEF indexes of the Mandarin-speakers were,on averge,larger than those of the Uyghur-speakers.The difference was primarily in the ALEF of the right thalamus.Conclusion At rest,the average ALEF of the right thalamus of aphasic Mandarin-speakers is larger than that of Uyghur-speakers.It might be that after a left-brain stroke the Mandarin-speakers form new language circuits with the help of the right thalamus which compensates for the loss of language function.