Reading-related Brain Function Restored to Normal After Articulation Training in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate: An fMRI Study
Liwei Sun1,2,3 · Wenjing Zhang4 · Mengyue Wang5 · Songjian Wang6,7,8 · Zhen Li9 · Cui Zhao1,2,3 · Meng Lin10 · Qian Si1,2,3 · Xia Li1 · Ying Liang1,2,3 · Jing Wei1,2,3 · Xu Zhang1,2,3 · Renji Chen4 · Chunlin Li1,2,31 School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
2 Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
3 Beijing Key Laboratory of Fundamental Research on Biomechanics in Clinical Application, School of Biomedical Engineering, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
4 Beijing Stomatological Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
5 School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
6 Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing 100005, China
7 Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Capital Medical University), Ministry of Education, Beijing 100005, China
8 Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, China
9 Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China
10 Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
Abstract
Cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) are the most common craniofacial malformations in humans. Speech problems often persist even after cleft repair, such that follow-up articulation training is usually required. However, the neural mechanism behind effective articulation training remains largely unknown. We used fMRI to investigate the differences in brain activation, functional connectivity, and effective connectivity across CLP patients with and without articulation training and matched normal participants. We found that training promoted task-related brain activation among the articulation-related brain networks, as well as the global attributes and nodal efficiency in the functional-connectivity-based graph of the network. Our results reveal the neural correlates of effective articulation training in CLP patients, and this could contribute to the future improvement of the post-repair articulation training program.
Keywords
Non-syndromic cleft lip and palate; Articulation training; fMRI; Functional connectivity; Graph-based network analysis
