Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study Area Of Inner Mongolia Mongolian Multilingual Task Activation

The language has clearly cultural characteristics, and different nationalities and races have their own special language and text symbols. However, the question is whether activities of the language areas are different among the populations with different languages. Although the language features has been well studied, some questions are still unclear.For example,do the monolingual, bilingual and multilingual speakers adopt the same neural mechanisms of language? Does the age learning a second or third language and the degree of language proficiency affect the language areas? According to our preliminary study on Inner Mongolia Mongolian monolingual and bilingual brain language functional areas, we have demonstrated that the scope and volume of the language areas of activation in the Mongolian population was significantly greater than that in the Han population during the task of native language speaking. Furthermore, in the Mongolian bilingual speakers, most of the brain language areas overlapped with, whereas, their own specific activation areas during their two languages task. Basing on our preliminary data, this study continued to use BOLD technology to investigate the characteristics of brain functional areas in the Mongolians multilingual (Mongolian, Chinese and English).Our study includes three parts.Objective:1) To explore the characteristics of functional areas and the differences in lateralization during the brain processes three languages tasks in the multilingual population with Mongolian as mother tongue, Chinese as a second language, and English as a third language.2) To explore whether there is specific functional areas during the brain processes the second, third language by comparative analysis of the similarities and differences of activated scope and volume.3) To explore whether there are differences of functional areas as the different second-language-learning ages.Methods:1) 22 healthy highly proficient Mongolians multilingual (Mongolian, Chinese and English), There were 10 females and 12 males. Age 27 (20-28) years old. All of the right-handed, the test of normal intelligence (IQ> 85), no psychological, psychiatric history, and denied the nervous system related diseases. With subjects in undergraduate attended or bachelor degree or above, in 12 years after learning English, can use English reading and daily communication, and through the CET (College English test) 4-6 levels of tests. Normal or corrected visual acuity.completed the semantic judgment task in English and Mongolian words during fMRI imaging;2) 26 healthy right-handed and highly proficient Mongolians multilingual participated in thisstudy. There were 13 females and 13 males, aged 29 (21-37) years old. the test of normal intelligence (IQ> 85), no psychological, psychiatric history, and denied the nervous system related diseases. With subjects in undergraduate studying or bachelor degree or above, Chinese as a secondlanguage (studying Chinese before 3 years-old), and English as a third language. Chinese proficiency is very high and through the eighth grade examination of China high Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK),12 years after the formal learning English, can use English reading and communication etc. and through the CET (College English test) 4-6 levels of tests. Normal or corrected visual acuity with normal vision. they were asked to perform semantic judgment tasks by cognitive stimulation with three different task (including monosyllabic notional Mongolian language words, single Chinese characters and English words) during fMRI imaging.3) 22 healthy right-handed and highly proficient Mongolians multilingual participated in this study. There were 10 female and 12 male patients, age 25 years old (24～30). All were right-handed, with normal intelligence test (IQ>85), no psychological, mental illness, and deny the related diseases of nervous system. With subjects in undergraduate studying or bachelor degree or above, Chinese as a second language (studying Chinese after 6 years-old), and English as a third language. Chinese proficiency is very high and through the eighth grade examination of China high Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK),12 years after the formal learning English, can use English reading and communication etc. and through the CET (College English test) 4-6 levels of tests. Normal or corrected visual acuity. They were asked to perform same semantic judgment tasks by cognitive stimulation with three different task (including monosyllabic notional Mongolian language words,single Chinese characters and English words) during fMRI imaging.4) 18 and 20 healthy right-handed and highly proficient Mongolians multilingual participated in this study. Chinese as a second language (studying Chinese before 3 years-old and after 6 years-old).they were asked to perform same semantic judgment Chinese tasks during fMRI imaging.All Mongolian multilinguals came from Central Dialect regions of Inner Mongolia. The test intelligence is normal (IQ> 85), no psychological, psychiatric history, and deny the nervous system related diseases. Subjects who have a bachelor’s degree or above, Chinese language through the Chinese language proficiency test (HSK) 8 levels of tests. After 12 years of age to learn English, can use English to read and daily communication, etc., and through the university English grade examination (English Test College) 4-6 levels of tests. Normal or corrected visual acuity.The functional images of brain were acquired with a GE Signal HDx 3.0T MRI.The functional datasets were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping software and overlaid on Tl-weighted anatomic images normalized to a standard (Montreal Neurology Institute) space. Analysis of laterality indices derived from voxel counts in regions of interest (ROIs).Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan device for GE Signal HDx 3.0 T MRI.Use the EPI fMRI-BOLD scan sequence.To SE T1WI axis as scanning to obtain T1WI cross sectional anatomical images.Scan parameters as follows:TR 2600 ms, TE 20, Flip angle 90°, FOV 230 x 230, Matrix size 192 x 144, slice thickness to 3 mm, layer spacing of 0 mm, a total of 24 layers, scan time for 242 seconds.In the experiment of BOLD-EPI functional imaging, scanning parameters as follows:the TR 2800,40, TE vision FOV is 230 x 230, matrix size 64 x 64, slice thickness 4 mm, layer spacing of 0 mm, a total of 24 layers. Scan time was 243 seconds.Scanning after the completion of the acquisition of the raw data transmitted to the computer workstation, using Matlab8.0 SPM8 software as a platform for the DICOM format into NIFTI format transformation.The resolution of the images observed brain function, the voxel size information such as the use of MRIcron software.Raw data will be prepared, general image capture every layer used first time correction, to eliminate the head dynamic range is too big, within the prescribed scope of data.Choose a representative in the sequence of a frame for the standard, will scan all images in the sequence alignment inspection.Then the standardization and gaussian smoothing image space.Results:1) During the Mongolian monolinguals and English words tasks some cortical and regions were activated. Same activated areas included:bilateral middle/inferior frontal gyrus, left precuneus,bilateral middle temporal gyrus, left superior/inferior parietal lobule, bilateral occipital middle gyrus and some cerebellar areas. The activation volume in left hemisphere was larger than that in right hemisphere. We also observed distinct regions of activatio for Mongolian monolinguals in the Left superior temporal gyrus, left parietal lobule, right insular lobe, right fusiform gyrus. While the areas in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, right superior and inferior parietal lobules, right parietal lobule, left insular lobe, left fusiform gyrusby were activated by English stimulation.Mongolian partial lateralization index LI= 0.27 on average, Mongolian task when the left cerebral hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right cerebral hemisphere, the difference is statistically significant (t= 3.362, p= 0.009< 0.05).English of partial lateralization index LI= 0.23 on average, in performing the duty of English to stimulate the left cerebral hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere activation volume, statistically significant difference (t= 3.297, p= 0.009< 0.05).2) Same activated areas included:bilateral middle/inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral precuneus, bilateral middle temporal gyrus, left superior/inferior parietal lobule, bilateral fusiform gyrus, bilateral occipital middle gyrus and some cerebellar areas. The activation volume in left hemisphere was larger than that in right hemisphere. We also observed distinct regions of activation for Mongolian monolinguals in the Left superior temporal gyrus. But activation in the left supper frontal gyrus, left angular gyrus, right superior and inferior parietal lobules by Chinese stimulation. While the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, left angular gyrus were activated by English stimulation.Mongolian partial lateralization index LI=0.22, the left hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere, statistically significant difference (t= 3.289,p= 0.008< 0.05).Chinese partial lateralization index LI= 0.27 on average, the Chinese mission when the left hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere, statistically significant difference (t= 2.983, p= 0.028< 0.05).English partial lateralization index LI= 0.14 on average, in performing the duty of English to stimulate the left cerebral hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere activation volume, statistically significant difference (t= 2.876, p= 0.026< 0.05).3)Same activated areas included:bilateral middle/inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral precuneus, bilateral middle temporal gyrus, bilatera parietal lobule, bilateral fusiform gyrus, bilateral occipital middle gyrus and some cerebellar areas. The activation volume in left hemisphere was larger than that in right hemisphere. We also observed distinct regions of activation for Mongolian monolinguals in the left superior temporal gyrus.But activation in the bilateral supper frontal gyrus, left angular gyrus by Chinese stimulation. While the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, left angular gyrus were activated by English stimulation.Mongolian partial lateralization index LI= 0.20, the Mongolian left cerebral hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere, the difference is statistically significant (t= 3.208, P= 0.018< 0.05).Chinese LI= 0.16 partial lateralization index, Chinese left cerebral hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere, the difference is statistically significant (t= 3.592, P= 0.021< 0.05).English LI= 0.15 partial lateralization index, in performing the duty of English to stimulate the left cerebral hemisphere activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere activation volume, statistically significant difference (t= 3.566, P= 0.009< 0.05).4) The bilateral superior frontal gyruswere activated in the Mongolians multilingual participaters. Chinese as a second language (studying Chinese before 3 years-old and after 6 years-old). There were some difference in the activated scope. But the activation volume had no statistical differences.Early Chinese partial lateralization index LI= 0.15 on average, in performing the duty of Chinese stimulus to the left of the activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere cerebral hemisphere activation volume, statistically significant difference (t= 2.932, P= 0.032< 0.05).Late Chinese partial lateralization index LI= 0.17 on average, in performing the duty of Chinese stimulus to the left of the activation volume is greater than the right hemisphere cerebral hemisphere activation volume, statistically significant difference (t= 3.396, P= 0.025< 0.05).Conclusions:1) The result showed some activated brain areas overlap when subjects were stimulated both with English and Mongolian languages, while some activated brain areas were language specific. The dominant hemisphere for both languages were left hemisphere. Lateralization index of English and Mongolian had no statistical differences (P> 0.05).2) In those groups (studying Chinese before 3 years-old), the result also showed some activated brain areas overlap, while some activated brain areas were language specific. The dominant hemisphere for three languages were left hemisphere. Lateralization index of three languages had no statistical differences (P>0.05).3) In those groups (studying Chinese after 6 years-old), the result also showed some activated brain areas overlap, while some activated brain areas were language specific. The dominant hemisphere for three languages were left hemisphere. Lateralization index of three languages had no statistical differences (P>0.05). We also found that the upper part of the frontal lobe and left angular gyrus were significantly activated withinthe stimulation of Chinese and English tasks, suggesting that there is strong relationship between the brain regions and language transition and translation.4) We also found the activated scope were different with the different second-language-learning ages, but there was no significant difference in the activated volume. Our findings may complement current understanding of the language function of the brain; provide a new basis for further study of neural network mechanism of the brain language function, as well as a hint for the clinical treatment and prognosis of the patients with language problem, and may help to better understand the mechanism of recovery after language function injury.