Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: The influence of the cerebellum in post-stroke aphasia recovery is poorly understood. Despite the right cerebellum being identified as a critical region involved in both language and cognitive functions, little is known about functional connections between the cerebellum and bilateral cortical hemispheres following stroke. This study investigated the relationship between chronic post-stroke naming deficits and cerebello-cerebral resting state functional connectivity.Methods: Forty-two, right-handed participants with chronic aphasia underwent the short version of the Boston Naming Testing (BNT) and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We conducted ROI-to-ROI analyses to investigate the functional connectivity between the right cerebellar Crus I/II (seed ROI; Cereb1r/Cereb2r) and bilateral cortical language regions. Single-subject connectivity parameters were extracted and used as independent variables in a stepwise multiple linear regression model associating BNT score with functional connectivity measures. Results: Functional connectivity analyses demonstrated positive correlations between the right cerebellar Crus I/II and both left and right cortical regions. In a stepwise multiple linear regression, controlling for time post stroke and lesion load, functional connectivity between the left midfrontal gyrus (midFG)- Cereb2r (standardized beta [std B]= 0.942, p <0.001), left midFG-Cereb1r (std B = -0.689, p<0.001), and the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG) – Cereb1r (std B = -0.460, p,0.002) were significant predictors of BNT score. The overall model fit was R2 = 0.512 (p= 0.002). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the functional connections between the right cerebellum and residual bilateral hemisphere regions may play a role in predicting naming ability in post-stroke aphasia.
Source: Brain Connectivity
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G1148417468, Rehabilitation and Prophylaxis of Anomia in Primary Progressive Aphasia, G1809566477, State of the Art 3T Research Scanner, G2510798378, Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Augment Chronic Aphasia Treatment, G2788811118, Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Augment Chronic Aphasia Treatment, Biomarkers of Cognitive Decline Among Normal Individuals: The Biocard Cohort, Biomarkers of Cognitive Decline among Normal Individuals: the BIOCARD cohort, G544924924, Research Education Program for Residents and Fellows in Neurology, G5584317862, G6879555631, G9000238970, Center for the Study of Aphasia Recovery (C-STAR), G930111229
OpenAlex ID: W4404298435