|
|
|
| Abstract Title:
|
| The neural consequences of behavioral intervention in acquired dysgraphia: An fMRI investigation
|
| Graduate Student Presenter:
|
Manuel Vindiola
|
| Name of the Author(s) and Affiliation(s):
|
Manuel Vindiola; Brenda Rapp, Department of Cognitive Science Johns Hopkins University
|
Studies concerned with neural response to functional recovery in language have focused on determining if neuroplasticity in the language system involves changes in the contralesional or the ipsilesional hemisphere. The evidence points to a possible role for both types of changes. We have carried out a longitudinal neuroimaging study of DHY, an individual with acquired dysgraphia in which we examined the neural changes that accompany the recovery of written language abilities subsequent to behavioral training.
The study included pre-training, training and post-training phases. At pre-training DHY was evaluated both behaviorally and with fMRI. With regard to the behavioral evaluation, he was administered a detailed assessment of his spelling abilities. During this phase he also participated in two fMRI evaluations during which he engaged in spelling and perceptual-motor control tasks. During the training phase DHY received a standard spell-study-spell intervention twice a week for 4 weeks. At post-training DHY was re-evaluated with the same assessment instruments used at pre-training and he participated in an additional fMRI evaluation.
Behavioral results indicate a clear and statistically significant improvement in accuracy for trained words from pre- to post-training as well as superior performance with trained words relative to matched controls at post-training.
Analysis of the fMRI results reveal: (1) strongly left-lateralized activity for the spelling task; (2) a clear anatomical overlap in orthographic processing during both passive reading and spelling in an area identified as the visual word form area; and (3) both ipsi- and contra-lesional, spelling-specific changes from pre to post training.
|
|
|
