Laterality of brain function
Lateralisation of language function in the brain is often an important question in neurosurgical planning.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to non-invasively map language function in the human brain. However interpretation of the distribution, pattern and extent of language activation can be heavily dependent on the quality of the study and the chosen statistical threshold. We therefore developed an objective, threshold-independent method of assessing when individual patients have statistically atypical language lateralisation. The method can also be applied to quantitatively assess laterality of other brain functions.
The method was first implemented and made publicly available in a software package called the iBrain Laterality Toolbox. This is now incorporated into the iBrain Analysis Toolbox for SPM.
See also the iBrain sotware downloads
Selected publications
Abbott DF, Waites AB, Lillywhite LM, Jackson GD. fMRI assessment of language lateralization: An objective approach. Neuroimage 50(4):1446-1455. (2010). ( doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.01.059 ).
Abbott DF, Palmer SM, Low E, Jackson GD, Carey LM. An fMRI study of the relative laterality of dominant and non-dominant hand sensory function. Proc. Intl. Soc. Mag. Reson. Med. 20;2157 (2012).
