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Sensitivity and reliability of language laterality assessment with a free reversed association task—a fMRI study

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Abstract

Objective

The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity and reliability of assessing hemispheric language dominance with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a ‘free reversed association task.’

Methods

Thirty-nine healthy subjects (13 dextrals, 13 sinistrals and 13 bimanuals) underwent two repeated fMRI sessions. In the active phases sets of words were presented via headphones, and an associated target item was named. During the baseline phases a standard answer was given after listening to unintelligible stimuli. Data were preprocessed with SPM, and then laterality indices (LI) and reliability coefficients (RC) were calculated.

Results

Extensive frontal, temporal and parietal activations were found. Seventy-eight percent of the subjects showed left-hemispheric dominance, 5% showed right-hemispheric dominance, and 17% had bilateral language representations. The incidence of right-hemispheric language dominance was 4.3 times higher in a left-hander with a handedness quotient (HQ) of −90 than in a right-hander with a HQ of +90. The RC was 0.61 for combined ROIs (global network). Strong correlations were found between the two session LIs (r = 0.95 for the global network).

Conclusion

‘Free reversed association’ is a sensitive and reliable task for the determination of individual language lateralization. This suggests that the task may be used in a clinical setting.

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Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the “Förderprogramm für Forschung und Lehre der LMU-München“(Reg. No. 332), University of Munich, Germany. We are grateful to Virginia Flanagin for critically reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroradiology, University of Munich, Campus Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Gunther Fesl, Philipp Bruhns & Hartmut Brueckmann

  2. Department of Psycholinguistics, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    Philipp Bruhns & Gerd Kegel

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Munich, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany

    Sabine Rau & Josef Ilmberger

  4. Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Helios Hospitals Schwerin, Schwerin, Germany

    Martin Wiesmann

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  1. Gunther Fesl
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Correspondence to Gunther Fesl.

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Fesl, G., Bruhns, P., Rau, S. et al. Sensitivity and reliability of language laterality assessment with a free reversed association task—a fMRI study. Eur Radiol 20, 683–695 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-009-1602-4

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