The role of the left frontal lobe in action naming: rTMS evidence

S F Cappa, M Sandrini, P M Rossini, K Sosta, C Miniussi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies suggest that whereas the left temporal neocortex plays a crucial role in all tasks involving lexical-semantic processing, some regions of the left prefrontal convexity are selectively recruited during verb processing.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there are different neural correlates for noun and verb processing in the human brain.

METHODS: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), 20 Hz at 90% of the motor threshold, was applied to left or right prefrontal brain during object- and action-naming tasks in nine healthy subjects.

RESULTS: A shortening of naming latency for actions was observed only after stimulation of left prefrontal cortex.

CONCLUSION: The involvement of the left dorsolateral frontal cortex in action naming was demonstrated using rTMS.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)720-3
Number of pages4
JournalNeurology
Volume59
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 10 Sept 2002

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality
  • Humans
  • Language
  • Magnetics
  • Male
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Prefrontal Cortex
  • Reaction Time

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