Key result
The novel Chinese verbal fluency test effectively activated the prefrontal cortex, showing significantly higher oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations and similar patterns to the Japanese test.
Why the study?
It was uncertain whether a novel Chinese verbal fluency test activates the prefrontal cortex and whether prefrontal cortex activation patterns are similar to the established Japanese test.
Does a novel Chinese verbal fluency test with syllable cues activate the prefrontal cortex similarly to the established Japanese version?
Observational (n=60)
Does a novel Chinese verbal fluency test with syllable cues activate the prefrontal cortex similarly to the established Japanese version?
A novel phonetically cued Chinese verbal fluency test effectively activates the prefrontal cortex, showing similar activation patterns to the established Japanese version.
Supports culturally adapted verbal fluency testing in Chinese populations; leaves open its clinical adoption pending further validation.
The verbal fluency test (VFT) is utilized in neuropsychology to evaluate the cognitive function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the human brain. We present a novel Chinese VFT similar to the established Japanese VFT; both tests prompt a syllable to the subject. However, it was uncertain whether the Chinese VFT can activate the PFC and whether PFC activation patterns are similar between the two tests. Here we administered the Chinese VFT to 30 native Chinese speakers and the Japanese VFT to 30 native Japanese speakers. We used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to observe PFC activation. Then we compared the similarities between the Chinese VFT and the Japanese VFT. The subjects generated an average of 12.8 ± 4.7 words during the Chinese VFT. NIRS indicates that the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin during the test was significantly higher than those before and after the test. It exhibited similar PFC activation patterns with the Japanese VFT. The novel Chinese VFT can activate the PFC in the human brain effectively in Chinese speakers. Our work thus provides the first validated phonetically cued Chinese VFT, unique from other not strictly phonemic Chinese VFTs, and facilitates the diagnosis of various PFC-related cognitive impairments.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Song et al. (2020) reported an observational. Chinese verbal fluency test vs. Japanese verbal fluency test was evaluated on Prefrontal cortex activation (concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin). The novel Chinese verbal fluency test effectively activated the prefrontal cortex, showing significantly higher oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations and similar patterns to the Japanese test.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: