Functional connectivity of the language network as a non-invasive predictor for language outcome in patients with brain gliomas

Functional connectivity analysis is a novel technique that allows studying  the neuronal interaction and causal directions of regional brain activation during language processing This technique is promising for clinical purposes as it is applicable in the interpretation of functional activation in patients with brain lesions in language related areas The analysis of an individual connectome may be able to assist in delineating the surgical excision margins in patients with gliomas in language eloquent regions, allowing the removal of a maximal tumor volume without increasing the risk of language deterioration In addition, an individualized language connectome can be useful in the choice and development of intraoperative linguistic paradigms during awake surgery, which would benefit intraoperative monitoring of language function

This project aims to apply functional connectivity analysis in order to 1 develop a standard language connectome 2 investigate neural plasticity of language function in patients with brain glioma 3 predict surgical excision margins and to compare them with the gold standard of intraoperative direct stimulation 4 develop individualized and novel linguistic paradigms for intraoperative use The coupling of functional connectivity analysis (junior 2) and clinical aphasiology (junior 1) in patients with glioma in critical areas of the brain may not only contribute to extended survival, but also to improved quality of life after surgery