Neural regions essential for writing verbs.
Functional imaging data collected during cognitive tasks show which brain regions are active during those tasks, but do not necessarily indicate which regions are essential for those tasks. Here, in a study of two cases of selectively impaired written naming of verbs after focal brain ischemia, we combined imaging and behavioral testing to unambiguously identify brain regions that are crucial for a specific cognitive process. We used magnetic resonance perfusion imaging to show that the selective impairment in each case was due to hypoperfusion (low blood flow) in left posterior inferior frontal gyrus (PIFG) and precentral gyrus (PrG); the impairment was immediately reversed when blood flow was restored to these regions, indicating that parts of the left frontal lobe are crucial for representing and processing verbs.
Hillis
Argye E
AE
Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. argye@jhmi.edu
Wityk
Robert J
RJ
Barker
Peter B
PB
Caramazza
Alfonso
A
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D001931:Brain Mapping; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007807:Language Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*