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Review
. 2019 May-Jun;36(3-4):117-139.
doi: 10.1080/02643294.2018.1485636. Epub 2018 Jul 12.

Language processing from the perspective of electrical stimulation mapping

Adrià Rofes  1   2 , Emmanuel Mandonnet  3   4   5 , Vânia de Aguiar  6 , Brenda Rapp  2 , Kyrana Tsapkini  6 , Gabriele Miceli  7
Affiliations
Review

Language processing from the perspective of electrical stimulation mapping

Adrià Rofes et al. Cogn Neuropsychol. 2019 May-Jun.

Abstract

Electrical Stimulation (ES) is a neurostimulation technique that is used to localize language functions in the brain of people with intractable epilepsy and/or brain tumors. We reviewed 25 ES articles published between 1984 and 2018 and interpreted them from a cognitive neuropsychological perspective. Our aim was to highlight ES as a tool to further our understanding of cognitive models of language. We focused on associations and dissociations between cognitive functions within the framework of two non-neuroanatomically specified models of language. Also, we discussed parallels between the ES and the stroke literatures and showed how ES data can help us to generate hypotheses regarding how language is processed. A good understanding of cognitive models of language is essential to motivate task selection and to tailor surgical procedures, for example, by avoiding testing the same cognitive functions and understanding which functions may be more or less relevant to be tested during surgery.

Keywords: Awake surgery; cognitive neuroscience; direct electrical stimulation; language.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors regarding the materials or methods used in this study or the findings reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Single-word model of language processing (based on Whitworth et al., 2014). The connection that starts in object recognition and connects with the phonological output lexicon (highlighted in grey) is an addition to the model that can be supported with DES data.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Sentence model of language processing (based on Garrett, 1980).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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