Center for Language and Brain

The results of the research conducted by the Centre for Language and Brain are important for prevention, diagnostics and correction of speech disorders in various hemispheres. As for preventing speech disorders, the Centre has developed and tested linguistic protocols for mapping speech functions during neurosurgical operations (by means of direct electrical stimulation) as well as before them (using functional magnetic resonance imaging) which allows to prevent speech disorders in neurosurgery patients. In the field of diagnostics of speech disorders we have developed and tried out tests to assess speech functions in aphasia patients after a stroke (the Russian Aphasiological Test, the Fast Aphasia Test, the tablet Russian-language version of the token test) as well as a test to assess speech development in children (KORABLIK “Clinical assessment of development of basic linguistic competences”). Finally, as for correction of speech disorders, the Centre develops protocols for speech therapy in the presence of aphasia including combinations with non-invasive brain stimulation. For clinical work with speech disorders we also need a good understanding of the structure of speech activity in normal circumstances. Therefore, many research efforts of the Centre are also devoted to normal neurophysiological and cognitive mechanisms of speech activity.

Implemented results of research:

• The protocols for mapping speech functions in neurosurgery patients are implemented in a number of clinical organisations in various regions: the N. I. Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Centre (Moscow), the A. L. Polenov Russian Research Neurosurgery Institute (Saint Petersburg), the Privolzhskiy Federal Medical Research Centre (Nizhniy Novgorod), the Morozov Children's City Clinical Hospital (Moscow) and others.
• The diagnostic tests for assessment of speech functions after focal brain lesions in adults are implemented into the clinical practice, in the first place, at the Centre for Speech Pathology and Neurorehabilitation of the Department of Health of the City of Moscow as well as at the Federal Centre for Brain and Neuropathology.

Education and career development:

• Employees of the Centre deliver regular education courses for students of the Higher School of Economics («Psychology and neurophysiology of language and speech», «Experimental methods in psycho- and neurolinguistics» and others), as well as supervise term papers and theses.
• We are regularly conducting the open research seminar «N Neurolinguistics Thursday».

• Every year we conduct the Summer Neurolinguistics School that is open for all the interested participants as well as other schools and workshops.

Other results:

• Results of scientific work of the Center have been presented in 70 presentations at 18 Russian and 18 international scientific conferences.
• We have provided linguistic support to 50 neurosurgeries.

Organizational and structural changes: Our researchers have used unique equipment for neuroscience research (brain stimulation system, portable 3D-scanner, video-oculograph, MRI-compatible microphone) in collaboration with scientists from other divisions of the Higher School of Economics as well as with clinical institutions.

Collaborations:

The Centre collaborates with the above-mentioned clinical organisations to conduct research and implement the speech functions mapping and diagnostics protocols, with kindergartens and schools to research children's speech as well as with a number of Russian and foreign universities (the University of Groningen,the University of Potsdam, Alto University, the University of Michigan etc.) for joint research and academic exchanges of students.