Short-term modulation of the lesioned language network

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.54277
• Publication Date: 2020-03-17T11:00:13Z
• Authors: Gesa Hartwigsen; Anika Stockert; Louise Charpentier; Max Wawrzyniak; Julian Klingbeil; Katrin Wrede; Hellmuth Obrig; Dorothee Saur
• Keywords: Inferior frontal gyrus; Fascicle; Stroke

Language is sustained by large-scale networks in the human brain. Stroke often severely affects function and network dynamics. However, adaptive potential of brain to compensate for lesions poorly understood. A key question whether upregulation right hemisphere language recovery. Targeting short-term reorganization lesioned brain, we applied 'virtual lesions' over left anterior or posterior inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) post-stroke patients with temporo-parietal prior functional neuroimaging. Perturbation IFG selectively delayed phonological decisions decreased activity. The individual response delay was correlated lesion homologue, likely reflecting compensation. Moreover, stronger tract integrity superior longitudinal fascicle associated lesser disruption. Our results provide evidence structural underpinnings plasticity network, a compensatory role hemisphere.