Language Cerebro-cerebellar Reorganization in Children After Surgery of Right Cerebellar Astrocytoma: a fMRI Study

Language processing depends on an integrated circuit involving the left supratentorial language areas and the right posterior lateral cerebellar hemisphere (lobule VI, lobule VII, Crus I, and Crus II). Reorganization of the language system after lesions of the cerebral language areas includes also cerebellar relocation. This is the first study assessing functional language reorganization after lesions concerning primarily the cerebellum, using a fMRI paradigm of phonological covert word production task in six children operated for right cerebellar astrocytoma and in 15 typically developing children. We found right cerebellar and left frontal activations in healthy controls and high variability of reorganizational patterns in patients with early right cerebellar lesion. Also lesions not located in the areas typically involved in language tasks (Crus I and Crus II) can cause reorganization between the two hemispheres or hemispheric language reinforcement of the original lateralization. We discuss the role of several variables in determining the reorganizational pattern such as the site, extension, and timing of surgery. No variables revealed as predictors, suggesting that co-occurring influence of other biological and/or pathological factors are not yet demonstrated. Lesions in the postero-lateral cerebellum seem related to less efficient language performances, as an indicator of the system's functioning.