Mapping cortical areas associated with Chinese word processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging

s To identify the cortical areas engaged during Chinese word processing using func tional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and to examine the reliability and repr oducibility of fMRI for localization of functional areas in the human brain Methods FMRI data were collected on 8 young, right handed, native Chinese speakers duri ng performance of Chinese synonym and homophone judgment tasks on two different clinical MRI systems (1 5 T GE Signa Horizon and 1 5 T Siemens Vision) A cro ss correlation analysis was used to statistically generate the activation map Results Broca's area, Wernicke's area, bilateral extrastriate, and ventral tempo ral cortex were significantly activated during both the synonym and homophone ac tivities There was essentially no difference between results acquired on two d ifferent MRI systems Conclusions FMRI can be used for localizing cortical areas critical to Chinese language proc essing in the human brain The results are reliable and well reproducible acros s different clinical MRI systems

汉字处理相关大脑皮层区的功能磁共振成像

目的 使用功能磁共振成像 (fMRI)对参与汉字处理的脑皮层区域进行确认 ,并对fMRI在人脑功能区定位方面的可靠性及重复性进行探讨。方法 对 8例右利手、母语为汉语的正常年轻人进行了汉语同义字和同音字判断的测试 ,同时采集其脑部的fMRI数据。MRI检查分别在 2台不同的机型上完成 (1.5TGESignaHorizon和 1.5TSiemensVision)。通过相关分析进行统计学处理并得到脑功能活动的图像。结果 对同义字和同音字进行判断均能明显激活Broca区、Wernicke区、双侧纹外视区及双侧颞叶腹侧皮层。配对t检验显示执行同义字和同音字判断任务所激发的脑功能区之间无显著性差异 (t =0 .35 ,P >0 .0 5 ) ,在 2台不同机型的MRI仪上获得的结果无本质区别。结论fMRI可以对汉语处理的有关大脑皮层区域进行定位 ,在不同临床MRI机型上得到的结果不仅可靠 ,而且具有很好的重复性。