1. Regional Cerebral Blood Flow During Sign Language Perception Deaf and Hearing Subjects with Deaf Parents Compared Anica, Christiane, Katharina, Amalia

2. Overview I.Introduction II.Study 1.Subjects 2.Methods 3.Results III.Conclusion

3. Introduction Previous studies about the different uses of sign language Difference between deaf and hearing signers Description of the brain

4. Study 1.Subjects 2.Methods 3.Results

5. Subjects 6 deaf subjects – 9 hearing subjects  all had deaf parents  no psychiatric history  Swedish sign language as mother tongue  all were right-handed

6. Study 1.Subjects 2.Methods 3.Results

7. Methods high resolution rCBF Swedish novel was translated into Swedish sign language -presented by a deaf man signing -instruction: focus on story -retell story Activation was compared during sign language and rest

8. Study 1.Subjects 2.Methods 3.Results

9. Results Deaf groupHearing group a high bifrontal activation during rest exhibited more activation in the parieto-occipital lobe (highly significant) activation of posterior parts of the temporal lobes bilaterally and of left Sylvian area the same mean flow level during both conditions lower mean flow level during sign language comprehension

10. Conclusion In comparison of deaf to hearing attention should be paid to: -The different sign stimulation -Different language abilities depending on the environment