open access

Vol 51, No 5 (2017)
Original research articles
Submitted: 2016-08-02
Get Citation

Reorganization of language centers in patients with brain tumors located in eloquent speech areas – A pre- and postoperative preliminary fMRI study

Katarzyna Gębska-Kośla1, Bartosz Bryszewski2, Dariusz J. Jaskólski2, Jan Fortuniak2, Maciej Niewodniczy3, Ludomir Stefańczyk4, Agata Majos1
DOI: 10.1016/j.pjnns.2017.07.010
·
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2017;51(5):403-410.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Radiological and Isotopic Diagnosis and Therapy, Medical University of Lodz, Central Clinical Hospital, Czechoslowacka 8/10, Lodz, Poland
  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Łódź, Kopcińskiego 22, Łódź, Poland
  3. Institute of Health Sciences, University of Social Sciences, Gdańska 121, Łódź, Poland
  4. Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical University of Łódź, Kopcińskiego 22, Łódź, Poland

open access

Vol 51, No 5 (2017)
Original research articles
Submitted: 2016-08-02

Abstract

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine in pre- and postsurgical fMRI studies the rearrangement of the Broca's and Wernicke's areas and the lateralization index for these areas in patients with brain tumors located near speech centers. Impact of the surgical treatment on the brain plasticity was evaluated.

Materials and methods

Pre- and postoperative fMRI examinations were performed in 10 patients with low grade glial, left-sided brain tumors located close to the Broca's (5 patients) or Wernicke's area (5 patients). BOLD signal was recorded in regions of interest: Broca's and Wernicke's areas, and their anatomic right-sided homologues.

Results

In the preoperative fMRI study the left Broca's area was activated in all cases. The right Broca's area was activated in all the patients with no speech disorders. In the postoperative fMRI the activation of both Broca's areas increased in two cases. In other two cases activation of one of the Broca's area increased along with the decrease in the contralateral hemisphere.

In all patients with temporal lobe tumors, the right Wernicke's area was activated in the pre- and postsurgical fMRI. After the operation, in two patients with speech disorder, the activation of both Broca's areas decreased and the activation of one of the Wernicke's areas increased.

Conclusions

In the cases of tumors localized near the left Broca's area, a transfer of the function to the healthy hemisphere seems to take place. Resection of tumors located near Broca's or Wernicke's areas may lead to relocation of the brain language centers.

Abstract

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine in pre- and postsurgical fMRI studies the rearrangement of the Broca's and Wernicke's areas and the lateralization index for these areas in patients with brain tumors located near speech centers. Impact of the surgical treatment on the brain plasticity was evaluated.

Materials and methods

Pre- and postoperative fMRI examinations were performed in 10 patients with low grade glial, left-sided brain tumors located close to the Broca's (5 patients) or Wernicke's area (5 patients). BOLD signal was recorded in regions of interest: Broca's and Wernicke's areas, and their anatomic right-sided homologues.

Results

In the preoperative fMRI study the left Broca's area was activated in all cases. The right Broca's area was activated in all the patients with no speech disorders. In the postoperative fMRI the activation of both Broca's areas increased in two cases. In other two cases activation of one of the Broca's area increased along with the decrease in the contralateral hemisphere.

In all patients with temporal lobe tumors, the right Wernicke's area was activated in the pre- and postsurgical fMRI. After the operation, in two patients with speech disorder, the activation of both Broca's areas decreased and the activation of one of the Wernicke's areas increased.

Conclusions

In the cases of tumors localized near the left Broca's area, a transfer of the function to the healthy hemisphere seems to take place. Resection of tumors located near Broca's or Wernicke's areas may lead to relocation of the brain language centers.

Get Citation

Keywords

Language, Functional magnetic resonance imaging, Brain mapping

About this article
Title

Reorganization of language centers in patients with brain tumors located in eloquent speech areas – A pre- and postoperative preliminary fMRI study

Journal

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska

Issue

Vol 51, No 5 (2017)

Pages

403-410

Page views

277

Article views/downloads

490

DOI

10.1016/j.pjnns.2017.07.010

Bibliographic record

Neurol Neurochir Pol 2017;51(5):403-410.

Keywords

Language
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
Brain mapping

Authors

Katarzyna Gębska-Kośla
Bartosz Bryszewski
Dariusz J. Jaskólski
Jan Fortuniak
Maciej Niewodniczy
Ludomir Stefańczyk
Agata Majos

Regulations

Important: This website uses cookies. More >>

The cookies allow us to identify your computer and find out details about your last visit. They remembering whether you've visited the site before, so that you remain logged in - or to help us work out how many new website visitors we get each month. Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically, but you can change the settings of your browser to erase cookies or prevent automatic acceptance if you prefer.

By VM Media Group sp. z o.o., ul. Świętokrzyska 73, 80–180 Gdańsk, Poland
tel.:+48 58 320 94 94, fax:+48 58 320 94 60, e-mail: viamedica@viamedica.pl