Abstract
In considering noninvasive alternatives to the Wada test, reviews of the adult literature
on language lateralization have touted the possibilities and promises of functional
magnetic resonance imaging for localizing language prior to surgery for intractable
epilepsy. However, even as research continues to examine the benefits of pursuing
a surgical treatment for intractable epilepsy in young children, the literature on
alternative methods of language lateralization remains considerably less developed
than the adult literature. In addition to functional magnetic resonance imaging, potential
alternative methods include functional transcranical Doppler, magnetoencephalography,
near infrared spectroscopy, and dichotic listening. This paper examines current research
on the use of these alternative methods in order to provide an introduction to the
clinical possibilities and challenges in using each method with children with the
cognitive or behavioral limitations often associated with intractable epilepsy.
Keywords
Epilepsy - dichotic listening - fMRI - fTCD - NIRS - MEG
