Identifying cortical first and second language sites via navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left hemisphere in bilinguals

Lorena Tussis; Nico Sollmann; Tobias Boeckh-Behrens; Bernhard Meyer; Sandro M Krieg

doi:10.1016/j.bandl.2017.01.011

Identifying cortical first and second language sites via navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation of the left hemisphere in bilinguals

Brain Lang. 2017 May:168:106-116. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.01.011. Epub 2017 Feb 9.

Authors

Lorena Tussis¹, Nico Sollmann², Tobias Boeckh-Behrens³, Bernhard Meyer⁴, Sandro M Krieg⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; TUM-Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany; TUM-Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 28189046
DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.01.011

Abstract

The cortical areas that code for the first (L1) and second language (L2) in bilinguals have still not been sufficiently explored. Thus, this study investigated the left-hemispheric distribution of the L1 and L2 using repetitive navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), in combination with an object-naming task, in 10 healthy, right-handed volunteers. In particular, higher error rates (ERs) were observed in the L1, and there was a statistically significant difference between the ERs of L1 and L2 for no-response errors (L1 mean 11.9±9.0%, L2 mean 6.5±5.2%; p=0.03). Furthermore, language-specific and shared cortical distribution patterns for the L1 and L2 were observed within the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes with a trend towards higher occurrence of language-specific spots within posterior regions. Overall, the L1 presented a more stable pattern of language distribution compared to the L2.

Keywords: Bilingualism; Cortical mapping; Dominant hemisphere; Language; Object naming; Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

MeSH terms

Adult
Brain Mapping / methods*
Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
Female
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Language*
Male
Multilingualism*
Prospective Studies
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / methods*
Young Adult