title: Beyond aphasia: Altered EEG connectivity in Broca's patients during working memory task.
abstract: Broca's region and adjacent cortex presumably take part in working memory (WM) processes. Electrophysiologically, these processes are reflected in synchronized oscillations. We present the first study exploring the effects of a stroke causing Broca's aphasia on these processes and specifically on synchronized functional WM networks. We used high-density EEG and coherence analysis to map WM networks in ten Broca's patients and ten healthy controls during verbal WM task. Our results demonstrate that a stroke resulting in Broca's aphasia also alters two distinct WM networks. These theta and gamma functional networks likely reflect the executive and the phonological processes, respectively. The striking imbalance between task-related theta synchronization and desynchronization in Broca's patients might represent a disrupted balance between task-positive and WM-irrelevant functional networks. There is complete disintegration of left fronto-centroparietal gamma network in Broca's patients, which could reflect the damaged phonological loop.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 7, SI-1525 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: veronika.rutar@kclj.si.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rutar Gorišek
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Unit of Neurorehabilitation, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 7, SI-1525 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: vlasta.zupanc@kclj.si.
authors.forename: Vlasta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zupanc Isoski
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: ales.belic@fe.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Aleš
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belič
authors.affiliation: Department of Philology, University of Patras, Rio Patras 26504, Greece. Electronic address: christina.manouilidou@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manouilidou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 7, SI-1525 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: blaz.koritnik@kclj.si.
authors.forename: Blaž
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koritnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: jure.bon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jure
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Nuška
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pečarič Meglič
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Matej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vrabec
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena pot 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: janez.zibert@zf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Janez
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Žibert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: grega.repovs@psy.ff.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Grega
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Repovš
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 7, SI-1525 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: janez.zidar@kclj.si.
authors.forename: Janez
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zidar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001039:Aphasia, Broca / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D065818:Gamma Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D013826:Theta Rhythm
keywords: Broca’s aphasia; Default mode network; EEG coherence; Gamma; Multiple demand network; Phonological loop; Synchronized oscillations; Theta; Working memory