Functional Language Organization in Childhood Stroke

简介(申请人提供)：本职业发展奖建议书为 旨在使应聘者发展成为 神经认知发展和研究领域的独立研究员 使用功能神经成像技术的障碍。该提案的重点是 儿童中风后语言的发展。它的具体目标 是：(1)发展功能成像任务设计和 实施以及功能数据的统计分析；和(2) 神经性疾病对认知功能影响的实验研究 发展。候选人提议与导师一起进行为期五年的培训计划 来自一家儿科研究部门。她的主要导师是一位专业人士 神经成像研究员，他的工作重点是功能性磁共振成像在儿童中的应用。 其他导师代表生物统计学、神经学、 心理学和放射学，这与研究和 职业发展计划。该计划描述了侧重于加强 有效设计和实施功能磁共振成像技术所需的知识 这将为儿科提供有用的临床和科学信息 患者群体。这些活动将包括独立的课程作业 学习，和具体的训练轮换。负责任的行为培训 儿科研究和资助金准备的主要经验 独立研究支持的建议也包括在计划的 程序。建议研究涉及到早期和早期的影响研究 后来在认知领域对神经学发展的干扰 语言。具体目标包括：(1)地图语言激活模式和 早期(围产期)卒中儿童语言偏侧化的测定 左侧大脑中动脉(MCA)与迟发性痴呆儿童大脑中动脉的比较 (发生在5岁到18岁之间)左侧大脑中动脉卒中和比较 这些模式与相同年龄和性别的正常儿童的模式相同。(2) 考察语言的功能重组模式以确定 无论这种重组是反映了侧化的转变，还是反映了内部的 语言的半球再分布。(3)跟踪语言变化 随时间推移出现的激活模式和语言偏侧化 晚期左侧大脑中动脉卒中的儿童。这些发现将有助于 对大脑可塑性、语言发展、评估和 语言障碍的治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Career Development Award proposal is designed to allow the candidate to develop the skills necessary to become an independent investigator in the area of neurocognitive development and disorders using functional neuroimaging techniques. The proposal focuses on the development of language after childhood stroke. Its specific objectives are to: (1) develop expertise in functional imaging task design and implementation as well as the statistical analysis of functional data; and (2) design empirical studies of the effects of neurologic disease on cognitive development. The candidate proposes a five- year training program with mentors from a pediatric research department. Her primary mentor is a functional neuroimaging researcher whose work has focused on the use of fMRI in children. Other mentors represent the disciplines of biostatistics, neurology, psychology, and radiology, which are directly relevant to the research and career development plan. The plan describes activities focused on enhancing the knowledge required to effectively design and implement fMRI techniques that will provide useful clinical and scientific information in pediatric patient populations. These activities will include coursework, independent study, and specific training rotations. Training in the responsible conduct of pediatric research and maundered experiences in the preparation of grant proposals for independent research support are also included in the planned program. The proposal research involves the study of the effects of early and later disruption of neurologic development on the cognitive domain of language. Specific aims include: (1) Map language activation patterns and determine language lateralization of children with early (perinatal) stroke of the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) compared to those of children with late (occurring between 5 and 18 years of same age) left MCA stroke and compare these patterns to those of normal children of the same age and gender. (2) Examine the pattern of functional reorganization of language to determine whether such reorganization reflects a shift of lateralization or an intra- hemisphere redistribution of language. (3) Track the changes in language activation patterns and language lateralization that occur over time in children with late left MCA stroke. The findings will contribute to the understanding of brain plasticity, language development, and assessment and treatment of language disorders.