How the brain adapts language processing after surgery in children
Official title: Language plasticity after childhood hemispherectomy: Neuroimaging and computational modeling
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11065137 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how kids who have had part of their brain removed can still learn and use language, helping us understand how their brains adapt and recover after surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $74,284 |
| NIH project number | 1F32DC022192-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11065137 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children who have undergone hemispherectomy due to severe epilepsy or other neurological conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had a hemispherectomy or those with language impairments not related to brain injury may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the brain reorganizes language functions in children who have undergone a hemispherectomy, a surgical procedure that removes part of the brain. By using advanced neuroimaging techniques and computational modeling, the study aims to understand how the remaining hemisphere compensates for lost language abilities. The researchers will analyze brain activity in individuals who have had this surgery to identify changes in how language is processed. This work could provide insights into the brain's capacity for recovery and adaptation following significant injury during childhood.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved therapeutic strategies for children with language impairments resulting from brain injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that the brain can adapt and reorganize after injury, but this specific approach to studying childhood hemispherectomy is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martin, Kelly C — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Martin, Kelly C
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.