Russian Intraoperative Naming Test: a Standardized Tool to Map Noun and Verb Production during Awake Neurosurgeries

TLDR

Functional mapping with direct electrical stimulation is becoming the gold standard to minimize postoperative deficits, yet standardized linguistic protocols for intraoperative use remain scarce, especially for language mapping which is critical due to communication disabilities. This study introduces the first Russian standardized naming test designed to map noun and verb production during awake neurosurgeries. The test was developed by integrating contemporary psycholinguistic knowledge with the practical requirements of direct electrical stimulation. In 23 awake craniotomy patients, the test proved highly relevant with DES for mapping language sites, enabling extensive tumor resection while preserving language function in most, and its materials are freely available online.

Abstract

To minimize permanent postoperative deficits, functional mapping with direct electrical stimulation (DES) is becoming a gold standard when a brain tumor resection must be performed near or within eloquent areas. Due to the devastating impact of communication disabilities, language is one of the most commonly mapped functions. However, standardized linguistic protocols for intraoperative use are still scarce. Here we present the first Russian standardized naming test for mapping noun and verb production during awake neurosurgeries. Its development has been informed by modern (psycho)linguistic knowledge and DES requirements. The test was clinically piloted in a sample of 23 patients who underwent awake craniotomy, with results showing high relevance of the test in combination with DES for mapping language-relevant cortical and subcortical sites. The use of the test intraoperatively enabled extensive resection of tumor tissue while preserving language function in most of the tested patients. The test materials and protocols are freely available online