Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35128, Padova, Italy.
Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
Brain Struct Funct. 2020 Apr;225(3):1009-1017. doi: 10.1007/s00429-020-02054-1. Epub 2020 Mar 10.
The frontal aslant tract (FAT) is a recently documented white matter tract that connects the inferior and superior frontal gyri with a tendency to be more pronounced in the left hemisphere. This tract has been found to play a role in language functions, particularly verbal fluency. However, it is not entirely clear to what extent FAT asymmetry is related to performance benefits in language-related tasks. In the present study, we aimed to fill this gap by examining the correlations between asymmetric micro- and macro-structural properties of the FAT and performance on verbal fluency and lexical decision tasks. The results showed no correlation between the FAT and verbal fluency; however, lexical decision was correlated with FAT laterality. Specifically, greater left lateralization in both micro- and macro-structural properties was related to faster lexical decision response times. The results were not due merely to motor or decision-making processes, as responses in a simple discrimination control task showed no correlation with laterality. These data are the first to suggest a role for the FAT in mediating processes underlying lexical decision.
额前斜束（FAT）是最近记录的一种白质束，它连接额下回和额上回，在左半球更为明显。该束在语言功能中起作用，特别是在言语流畅性方面。然而，FAT 不对称与语言相关任务的表现优势之间的关系尚不完全清楚。在本研究中，我们旨在通过检查 FAT 的不对称微观和宏观结构特性与言语流畅性和词汇决策任务表现之间的相关性来填补这一空白。结果表明，FAT 与言语流畅性之间没有相关性；然而，词汇决策与 FAT 的偏侧性有关。具体来说，微观和宏观结构特性中较大的左侧偏侧性与更快的词汇决策反应时间相关。结果并非仅仅由于运动或决策过程所致，因为在简单的辨别控制任务中的反应与偏侧性无关。这些数据首次表明 FAT 在介导词汇决策的潜在过程中起作用。
