title: Involuntary switching into the native language induced by electrocortical stimulation of the superior temporal gyrus: a multimodal mapping study.
abstract: We describe involuntary language switching from L2 to L1 evoked by electro-stimulation in the superior temporal gyrus in a 30-year-old right-handed Serbian (L1) speaker who was also a late Italian learner (L2). The patient underwent awake brain surgery. Stimulation of other portions of the exposed cortex did not cause language switching as did not stimulation of the left inferior frontal gyrus, where we evoked a speech arrest. Stimulation effects on language switching were selective, namely, interfered with counting behaviour but not with object naming. The coordinates of the positive site were combined with functional and fibre tracking (DTI) data. Results showed that the language switching site belonged to a significant fMRI cluster in the left superior temporal gyrus/supramarginal gyrus found activated for both L1 and L2, and for both the patient and controls, and did not overlap with the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). This area, also known as Stp, has a role in phonological processing. Language switching phenomenon we observed can be partly explained by transient dysfunction of the feed-forward control mechanism hypothesized by the DIVA (Directions Into Velocities of Articulators) model (Golfinopoulos, E., Tourville, J. A., & Guenther, F. H. (2010). The integration of large-scale neural network modeling and functional brain imaging in speech motor control.
authors: IRCCS "E. Medea", Polo Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, via della Bontà, 7, San Vito al Tagliamento, PN 33078, Italy. Electronic address: btomasino@ud.lnf.it.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Tomasino
authors: IRCCS "E. Medea", Polo Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, via della Bontà, 7, San Vito al Tagliamento, PN 33078, Italy.
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Marin
authors: IRCCS "E. Medea", Polo Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, via della Bontà, 7, San Vito al Tagliamento, PN 33078, Italy.
authors: Cinzia
authors: C
authors: Canderan
authors: Fisica Medica A.O.S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Maieron
authors: Unità Operativa di Neurologia, Neurofisiopatologia, A.O.S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Budai
authors: IRCCS "E. Medea", Polo Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia, via della Bontà, 7, San Vito al Tagliamento, PN 33078, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze Umane, Università di Udine, Italy.
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Fabbro
authors: Unità Operativa di Neurochirurgia, A.O.S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
authors: Miran
authors: M
authors: Skrap
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007802:Language; D007807:Language Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012640:Seizures / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Awake surgery; L2 learner; Language switching; Multimodal mapping; Superior temporal gyrus; fMRI