Neural Basis of Sign Language from Lesion Mapping

描述（由申请人提供）：手语提供了一种理解感觉运动对语言神经组织的影响的方法。本研究的目的是利用现代的损伤-缺陷映射来揭示手语的神经基础。这不仅将回答一些关于手语的神经基础和相关过程的基本问题，并解决关于一般形成语言组织的感觉-运动力量的问题，而且还将提供关于手语失语症的临床-解剖相关的急需信息。我们提出三个具体目标。目的1：利用定量损伤-症状映射方法确定手语失语症的整体损伤模式是否与口语失语症相似。目的2：利用定量病变-症状映射方法绘制与更细粒度的手语产生、手语理解和相关功能测量相关的病变模式。目的3：用损伤法评价符号命名能力和工作记忆的神经基础。公共卫生相关性：国家语言和交流疾病研究所使命的一个重要方面是开展研究，增进对语言和交流障碍的理解和治疗，特别是对耳聋和手语的理解和治疗。在我们之前的研究之前，相对较少的研究针对脑部病变导致的手语障碍；本项目采用现代病变-症状方法，为理解和治疗聋人手语语言障碍提供了重要的新工具。这将在广泛的公共卫生领域产生影响，并直接使临床医生、教育工作者和照顾患有脑损伤和/或语言障碍的聋人手语者的个人受益。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Sign language provides a means to understand the sensory-motor influences on the neural organization of language. The goals of the present proposal are to uncover the neural basis of sign language using modern lesion-deficit mapping. This will not only answer some fundamental questions about the neural basis of sign language and related processes and address questions about the sensory-motor forces that shape language organization generally, but will also provide much needed information on the clinical-anatomic correlates of sign language aphasia. We propose three specific aims. Aim 1: To determine whether the overall lesion pattern associated with sign language aphasia is similar to that found for spoken language using quantitative lesion-symptom mapping methods. Aim 2: To map the lesion pattern associated with more fine-grained measures of sign language production, sign language comprehension, and related function using quantitative lesion-symptom mapping methods. Aim 3: To assess the neural basis of naming ability and working memory for signs using the lesion method. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: An important aspect of the mission of NIDCD is research that leads to increased understanding and treatment of language and communication disorders, particularly with respect to deafness and sign language. Relatively little research has targeted the breakdown of sign language as a result of brain lesions until our previous studies; the program proposed here using modern lesion-symptom approaches provides important new tools for the understanding and treatment of language disorders in deaf signers. This will have implications across a wide range of public health domains and directly benefits clinicians, educators, and individuals caring for deaf signers with brain lesions and/or language disorders.