Regional Cerebral Regional Cerebral Blood FlowBlood Flow

Anne MarieAnne MarieKatharinaKatharina

DanielDanielMaryMary

OverviewOverview

Subjects Subjects

Goals and StudyGoals and Study

Methods Methods

ResultsResults

Subjects for the Test Subjects for the Test

2 Groups

6 deaf persons20 – 30 years age

9 hearing persons19 – 45 years of age

Deaf parentsRight-handed

No neuro disease

Common factors

Goals and StudyGoals and Study similarities between signed and spoken similarities between signed and spoken

languagelanguage both seem to activate much the same regions in the both seem to activate much the same regions in the

brainbrain more occipital activation in sign languagemore occipital activation in sign language

sign language seems to involve the right sign language seems to involve the right hemispherehemisphere

study: compare sign language lateralization and study: compare sign language lateralization and

localization between hearing and deaf children localization between hearing and deaf children of deaf parentsof deaf parents

Methods Methods

high resolution rCBFhigh resolution rCBF Swedish novel was translated into Swedish novel was translated into

Swedish sign languageSwedish sign language presented by a deaf man signingpresented by a deaf man signing instruction: focus on storyinstruction: focus on story retell storyretell story

Activation was compared during Activation was compared during sign language and restsign language and rest

ResultsResults

both groups show a high bifrontal activation both groups show a high bifrontal activation during restduring rest- deaf group exhibited more activation in the parieto-occipital deaf group exhibited more activation in the parieto-occipital

lobe lobe - (highly significant)(highly significant)- hearing signers used more temporal areashearing signers used more temporal areas- it seems that deafness and not the early learning of sign it seems that deafness and not the early learning of sign

language that leads to enhanced right hemisphere activationlanguage that leads to enhanced right hemisphere activation

enhanced right hemisphere parieto-occipital enhanced right hemisphere parieto-occipital activation in this group is an effect:activation in this group is an effect:- lack of auditory stimulation and of lack of auditory stimulation and of - early learning of a visual-spatial languageearly learning of a visual-spatial language