title: A functional MRI study of language networks in left medial temporal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the abnormality of language networks in left medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) using fMRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight patients with left MTLE and 15 healthy subjects were evaluated. An auditory semantic judgment (AJ) paradigm was used. The fMRI data were collected on a 3T MR system and analyzed by AFNI (analysis of functional neuroimages) to generate the activation map.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Behavioral data showed that the reaction time of the left MTLE patients was significantly longer than that of controls on the AJ task (t=-3.396, P<0.05). The left MTLE patients also exhibited diffusively decreased activation in the AJ task. Right hemisphere dominance of Broca's and Wernicke's areas was demonstrated in left MTLE patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term activation of spikes in left MTLE patients results in language impairment, which is associated with an abnormality of the brain neural network.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, the 4th Medical College of Peking University, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing 100035, China. yuaihong163@tom.com
authors.forename: Aihong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xiaoyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Kuncheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male