Anila M. D’Mello|Peter E. Turkeltaub|Catherine J. Stoodley
Cerebellar tDCS Modulates Neural Circuits during Semantic Prediction: A Combined tDCS-fMRI Study
American University|Georgetown University Medical Center|Georgetown University|MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital|American University
proposed cerebellum acquires internal models mental processes enable prediction allowing optimization behavior language semantic prediction speeds speech production comprehension right cerebellar lobules vi vii including crus iii engaged variety language processes functionally connected cerebral cortical language networks right posterolateral cerebellar neuromodulation modifies behavior predictive language processing data consistent role cerebellum semantic processing semantic prediction combined transcranial direct current stimulation tdcs fmri assess behavioral neural consequences cerebellar tdcs sentence completion task taskbased restingstate fmri data acquired healthy human adults n 32 231 years 20 min 15 anodal n 18 sham n 14 tdcs applied right posterolateral cerebellum sentence completion task first four words sentence modulated predictability final target word sentences preceding context strongly predicted target word whereas sentences nonpredictive completion predictive sentences increased activation right crus iii cerebellum relative sham tdcs anodal tdcs increased activation right crus iii semantic prediction enhanced restingstate functional connectivity hubs readinglanguage networks results consistent role right posterolateral cerebellum beyond motor aspects language suggest cerebellar internal models linguistic stimuli support semantic predictionsignificance statement cerebellar involvement language tasks language networks well established yet specific cerebellar contribution language processing remains unclear thought cerebellum acquires internal models mental processes enable prediction allowing optimization behavior combined neuroimaging neuromodulation provide evidence cerebellum specifically involved semantic prediction sentence processing found activation within right crus iii enhanced semantic predictions made show modulation region transcranial direct current stimulation alters activation patterns functional connectivity within wholebrain language networks first time data show cerebellar neuromodulation impacts activation patterns specifically predictive language processing