Jung JeYoung, Kim Sunmi, Cho Hyesuk, Nam Kichun
Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Wisdom Science Centre, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
PLoS One. 2017 Sep 11;12(9):e0184232. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184232. eCollection 2017.
This study aims to provide convergent understanding of the neural basis of auditory word processing efficiency using a multimodal imaging. We investigated the structural and functional correlates of word processing efficiency in healthy individuals. We acquired two structural imaging (T1-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during auditory word processing (phonological and semantic tasks). Our results showed that better phonological performance was predicted by the greater thalamus activity. In contrary, better semantic performance was associated with the less activation in the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), supporting the neural efficiency hypothesis that better task performance requires less brain activation. Furthermore, our network analysis revealed the semantic network including the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and pMTG was correlated with the semantic efficiency. Especially, this network acted as a neural efficient manner during auditory word processing. Structurally, DLPFC and cingulum contributed to the word processing efficiency. Also, the parietal cortex showed a significate association with the word processing efficiency. Our results demonstrated that two features of word processing efficiency, phonology and semantics, can be supported in different brain regions and, importantly, the way serving it in each region was different according to the feature of word processing. Our findings suggest that word processing efficiency can be achieved by in collaboration of multiple brain regions involved in language and general cognitive function structurally and functionally.
本研究旨在通过多模态成像，对听觉词语加工效率的神经基础提供趋同理解。我们调查了健康个体中词语加工效率的结构和功能相关性。在听觉词语加工（音韵和语义任务）过程中，我们采集了两种结构成像（T1加权成像和扩散张量成像）以及功能磁共振成像（fMRI）。我们的结果表明，丘脑活动越强，音韵表现越好。相反，语义表现越好与左侧颞中回后部（pMTG）激活越少相关，这支持了神经效率假说，即更好的任务表现需要更少的大脑激活。此外，我们的网络分析显示，包括左侧颞叶前部（ATL）、背外侧前额叶皮质（DLPFC）和pMTG在内的语义网络与语义效率相关。特别是，该网络在听觉词语加工过程中以神经高效的方式发挥作用。在结构上，DLPFC和扣带束有助于词语加工效率。此外，顶叶皮质与词语加工效率有显著关联。我们的结果表明，词语加工效率的两个特征，音韵和语义，可以在不同脑区得到支持，重要的是，每个区域根据词语加工特征服务于它的方式不同。我们的研究结果表明，词语加工效率可以通过在结构和功能上参与语言和一般认知功能的多个脑区协同作用来实现。
