Role of Executive Function in Language: an Experimental and Clinical Approach With Application to Mother Language and Second Language
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Enrollment
- 22
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Language production
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on language production.
Detailed Description
Background:
Several studies investigating healthy or clinical populations have shown that (r)TMS applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has an effect on language-related processes such as verbal working memory (Osaka et al., 2007), sentence comprehension (Cotelli et al., 2011) and language switching (Holtzheimer et al., 2005, Nardone et al., 2011).
Clinical observations and neuroimaging studies seem to confirm the role of executive functions and frontal structures in language processing in monolingual and bilingual subjects (e.g. Fabbro et al., 2000, Abutalebi & Green 2007). However, only few studies investigated the effects of modulation of cognitive control-networks on lexical access.
Aim and procedure:
The study will investigate the role of the DLPFC and executive functioning in L1 and L2 language processing. The core question is whether rTMS over the DLPFC will influence lexical access and language production.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Crossover
- Primary Purpose
- Other
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 45 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •L1 French, knowledge of English as a foreign language
- •18-45 years of age
- •Right-handedness
Exclusion Criteria
- •epilepsy /family history of epilepsy
- •brain surgery, traumatic brain injuries
- •cardiac pacemaker, metallic objects in the body
- •history of neurological diseases or psychiatric disorders
- •drug use (alcohol, psychoactive medication)
- •developmental language disorder
Arms & Interventions
rTMS
Intervention: rTMS (Device)
Sham rTMS
Intervention: Sham rTMS (Device)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Language production
Time Frame: within 30 mins after rTMS/sham rTMS
Picture naming task and word translation task
Secondary Outcomes
- non-verbal executive functions task(within 30 mins after rTMS/sham rTMS)
Investigators
Jean-Marie Annoni
Prof. Dr. med.
University of Fribourg