title: A "one size fits all" approach to language fMRI: increasing specificity and applicability by adding a self-paced component.
abstract: We have previously established an fMRI task battery suitable for mapping the language processing network in children. Among the tasks used, the synonyms and the vowel identification task induced robust task-related activations in children with average language abilities; however, the fixed presentation time seems to be a drawback in participants with above- or below-average language abilities. This feasibility study in healthy adults (n = 20) was aimed at adapting these tasks to the individual level of each patient by implementing a self-paced stimulus presentation. The impact of using a block- versus an event-related statistical approach was also evaluated. The self-paced modification allowed our participants with above-average language abilities to process stimuli much faster than originally implemented, likely increasing task adherence. A higher specificity of the event-related analysis was confirmed by stronger left inferior frontal and crossed cerebellar activations. We suggest that self-paced paradigms and event-related analyses may both increase specificity and applicability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.|Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Children's Hospital, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.|Experimental Pediatric Neuroimaging Group, Pediatric Neurology and Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Adrienn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Máté
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Children's Hospital, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.|Experimental Pediatric Neuroimaging Group, Pediatric Neurology and Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lidzba
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Till-Karsten
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Children's Hospital, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.|Clinic for Neuropediatrics and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinik, Vogtareuth, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staudt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Children's Hospital, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. marko.wilke@med.uni-tuebingen.de.|Experimental Pediatric Neuroimaging Group, Pediatric Neurology and Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany. marko.wilke@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Event-related analysis; Functional MRI; Language; Self-paced paradigm; Specificity; Task design