FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF LANGUAGE CORTEX

This review examines recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) studies of language cortex. Included are activation studies involving listening to speech, reading, word generation, semantic categorization, and verbal working memory. Where possible we compared FMRI results with similar data obtained using positron emission tomography. Several applications of language FMRI in neurologic patients are presented. Methodologic issues concerning task design are discussed from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience. These issues include the validity of ''covert'' responses, selection of control tasks, consideration of practice effects, and interpretation of ''rest'' conditions. FMRI has great potential to clarify the neurophysiologic basis of human language, although this potential remains largely unexplored. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.