Cortical Stimulation Mapping in a Deaf Signer
Cortical stimulation mapping (CSM) is a routine procedure used in neurosurgical treatments of brain
disorders. Following craniotomy, the surgeon applies apply a small electrical current to discrete cortical
regions in an awake behaving patient. The electrical stimulation is designed to induce short-lasting focal
functional disruption which can be used to assess neuroanatomcial regions involved in motor, memory
and language function. These data provide the neurosurgeon with a detailed understanding of a
particular patient’s functional neuroanatomy which is crucial for successful targeted brain resection that
will minimize long lasting neurological effects of surgery. In this poster we present the rare case of a
deaf adult fluent signer who underwent CSM for neurosurgical treatment of a brain tumor. We report
data from automatized naming (counting) and picture naming --protocols used to identify area of signmotor and lexical naming. Two cortical sites resulted in significant disruption, a left frontal opercualr site
that disrupted automatized naming, and a second posterior temporal site that led to sign-finding errors
and sign misarticulation. We discuss these results in relation to existing models of language
representation in users of spoken languages and compare this case to two previously described cases of
deaf signers undergoing CSM.
perform a systematic sampling of
The procedure requires neurosurgeon to
Neuropychological studies of Deaf pateinten undergoing cortical stimulation ampping procedures