Neuroanatomical Profiles of Deafness in the Context of Native Language Experience

Olumide A. Olulade; Daniel S. Koo; Carol J. LaSasso; Guinevere F. Eden

doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3700-13.2014

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Figure 1.
GMV and WMV differences between deaf and hearing native users of ASL. Less GMV (A) was observed in the deaf group in bilateral temporal lobe regions, including Heschl's gyrus. Less WMV (B) was also observed in the bilateral temporal lobe regions, close to areas identified to differ in gray matter. Deaf signers had more GMV in right superior frontal cortex. Height threshold p < 0.005; nonstationary corrected threshold p < 0.05. Clusters were overlaid onto the standardized MNI brain template.
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Figure 2.
Results of ANOVA. Shown are the ANOVA results for GMV (A) and WMV (B) differences. Top, Main effect of sensory experience (hearing > deaf, red; deaf > hearing, blue). Middle, Main effect of language experience (ASL > English, red). Bottom, Interaction of sensory experience × language experience (green). MdFG, medial frontal gyrus; IFG, inferior frontal gyrus; MTG, middle temporal gyrus; STG, superior temporal gyrus. Error bars indicate 1 SE measurement. Height threshold p < 0.005; minimum cluster size = 95. Clusters were overlaid onto the standard MNI brain template.

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Table 1.

Participant demographic information

	Native users of ASL			Native users of English			ANOVA^{^a}
	Deaf	Hearing	p	Deaf	Hearing	p	F	p
F/M	8/7	12/3	—	5/10	7/8	—	—	—
Age
Mean ± SD	23.4 ± 3.3	26.7 ± 6.9	NS	28.2 ± 3.8	25.9 ± 6.0	NS	2.18	NS
Range	18.4–31.8	18.4–39.5	NS	22.8–34.6	18.6–41.8	NS	2.18	NS
PIQ
Mean ± SD	112.0 ± 9.8	113.2 ± 11	NS	113.3 ± 8.9	118.4 ± 7.6	NS	1.44	NS
Range	92–127	99–129	NS	93–124	106–129	NS	1.44	NS
TOSWRF
Mean ± SD	107.6 ± 16	106.7 ± 13	NS	119.5 ± 11	110.3 ± 17	NS	2.49	NS
Range	89–131	76–121	NS	95–131	75–131	NS	2.49	NS

↵^aOne-way ANOVA including all four groups. NS, Nonsignificant (p > 0.05).

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Table 2.

MNI coordinates of maxima of volume differences for whole-brain between-group comparisons of deaf and hearing native users of ASL

Comparison	MNI coordinates			Anatomical region	BA	Z
Comparison	x	y	z	Anatomical region	BA	Z
Hearing > deaf	GMV differences
	−33	−25	6	L. transverse temporal gyrus^{^a}	41	4.01
	−36	−3	−30	L. middle temporal gyrus^{^b}	21	4.61
	32	−18	12	R. claustrum^{^c}		3.92
	39	−6	−27	R. fusiform gyrus^{^b}	20	3.82
	WMV differences
	−52	−22	−8	L. middle temporal gyrus^{^d}	21	4.93
	50	−21	9	R. superior temporal gyrus^{^e}	41	4.00
	46	2	−38	R. middle temporal gyrus^{^f}	21	4.04
Deaf > hearing	GMV differences
	22	41	52	R. superior frontal gyrus^{^g}	8	4.07
	WMV differences
	No significant clusters

↵^aCluster extends into the superior temporal gyrus and the insula.
↵^bCluster extends into the inferior temporal gyrus, the fusiform gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus.
↵^cCluster extends into the transverse temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, the insula, and the inferior parietal lobule.
↵^dCluster extends into the transverse temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, insula, fusiform gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus.
↵^eCluster extends into the transverse temporal gyrus and insula.
↵^fCluster extends into the fusiform gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus.
↵^gCluster extends into the middle frontal gyrus.

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Table 3.

MNI coordinates of maxima of volume differences for whole-brain ANOVA

	MNI coordinates			Anatomical region	BA	Z
	x	y	z	Anatomical region	BA	Z
Main effect of sensory experience
Hearing > deaf	GMV differences
	0	−73	−11	L. lingual gyrus	18	3.24
	−50	−67	−51	L. cerebellum		3.63
	−36	−58	−57	L. cerebellum		2.74
	−40	−7	−30	L. fusiform gyrus	20	4.23
	8	−75	45	R. precuneus	7	3.17
	4	−60	18	R. posterior cingulate	23	3.01
	WMV differences
	−42	−24	7	L. superior temporal gyrus^{^a}	41	4.25
Deaf > hearing	GMV differences
	−51	−16	−12	L. middle temporal gyrus	21	3.29
	−20	68	16	L. superior frontal gyrus	10	3.08
	44	2	−27	R. middle temporal gyrus	21	3.47
	22	36	28	R. superior frontal gyrus^{^b}	10	3.72
	WMV differences
	No significant clusters
Main effect of language experience
ASL > English	GMV differences
	−12	23	37	L. cingulate gyrus	32	3.31
	−20	41	−11	L. middle frontal gyrus	11	3.63
	−34	8	27	L. middle frontal gyrus	11	3.27
	16	−64	45	R. precuneus	7	3.63
	0	−33	52	R. medial frontal gyrus^{^c}	6	3.63
	33	18	28	R. middle frontal gyrus	9	4.10
	34	33	−17	R. inferior frontal gyrus	47	3.34
	WMV differences
	−15	−18	73	L. precentral gyrus	6	3.31
	54	20	12	R. inferior frontal gyrus	45	3.43
English > ASL	GMV differences
	No significant clusters
	WMV differences
	No significant clusters
Interaction: sensory experience × language experience
	GMV differences
	−45	−4	−23	L. middle temporal gyrus	21	2.87
	−12	14	19	L. caudate		4.42
	45	−40	19	R. insula^{^d}	13	3.76
	38	−9	42	R. precentral gyrus	6	3.76
	18	35	33	R. medial frontal gyrus	9	3.76
	WMV differences
	−3	−66	−38	L. cerebellum		3.21
	−50	−7	−8	L. superior temporal gyrus	21	3.95
	−42	39	9	L. inferior frontal gyrus	45	4.25
	56	−12	−27	R. fusiform gyrus^{^e}	20	3.75
	44	−12	48	R. precentral gyrus	6	3.81

Clusters surviving a nonstationary correction at p < 0.05 are listed in boldface.
↵^aCluster extends into the transverse temporal gyrus.
↵^bCluster extends into the middle and medial frontal gyri.
↵^cCluster extends into the paracentral lobule.
↵^dCluster extends into the supramarginal gyrus.
↵^eCluster extends into the inferior and middle temporal gyri.