Comparison of fMRI and PEPSI during language processing in children

The present study explored the correlation between lactate as defected by M R spectroscopy (MRS) and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) responses in male children during auditory-based language tasks. All subjects (N = 8 ) participated in one proton echo planar spectroscopic imaging (PEPSI) and one functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session that required phon ological and lexical judgments to aurally presented stimuli. Valid PEPSI da ta was limited in the frontal areas of the brain due to the magnetic suscep tibility of the eye orbits and frontal sinuses. Findings from the remainder of the brain indicate that subjects show a significant consistency across imaging techniques in the left temporal area during the lexical task, but n ot in any other measurable area or during the phonological task. Magn Reson Med 45:217-225, 2001, (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.