Christopher Benjamin, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurology; Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery; Assistant Professor of Psychology; Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Research & Publications
Biography
Research Summary
If treatment with medication is not successful, neurosurgery is potentially curative for patients with epilepsy. The ability of patients to proceed to surgery rests on the patient and the surgical team being able to accurately evaluate the likely benefits and risks of surgery, however. A critical component of this evaluation is determining whether surgery could pose any risk to language or memory. While we can identify which half of the brain is critical to language using fMRI (or Wada testing), we do not yet have simple methods for mapping the specific brain areas important for language within a given hemisphere.
My work is focused on determining how we can best use fMRI to lateralize and localize language presurgically. There are numerous published methods, and are working to compare the validity of these and other approaches.
We hope this work will lead to identifying the best methods to give our patients, neurologists and neurosurgeons simple, accurate predictions of what a patient's life will look like in the future if they do or do not proceed to neurosurgery.
Specialized Terms: Epilepsy, MRI, fMRI, DWI, Language, Memory, Vision
Extensive Research Description
• Validity of cognitive testing for identifying seizure focus, and surgical outcome.
• Validity of fMRI methods for predicting language change after surgery.
• Comparison of fMRI and intracranial language mapping for predicting language change after surgery.
Coauthors
Research Interests
Epilepsy; Language; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Memory; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Vision, Ocular
Selected Publications
- Standardization of presurgical language fMRI in Greek population: Mapping of six critical regionsGkiatis K, Garganis K, Benjamin CF, Karanasiou I, Kondylidis N, Harushukuri J, Matsopoulos GK. Standardization of presurgical language fMRI in Greek population: Mapping of six critical regions. Brain And Behavior 2022, 12: e2609. PMID: 35587046, PMCID: PMC9226851, DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2609.
- Dynamics of category-level statistical learning from intracranial recordings in visual cortexSherman B, Graves K, Huberdeau D, Benjamin C, Quraishi I, Damisah E, Turk-Browne N. Dynamics of category-level statistical learning from intracranial recordings in visual cortex. Journal Of Vision 2021, 21: 2255. DOI: 10.1167/jov.21.9.2255.
- Cognitive Biomarkers in the Clinic: Lessons From Presurgical fMRIBenjamin CFA. Cognitive Biomarkers in the Clinic: Lessons From Presurgical fMRI. Journal Of Clinical Neurophysiology 2021, 39: 121-128. PMID: 34366397, DOI: 10.1097/wnp.0000000000000834.
- Gerstmann Syndrome Deconstructed by Cortical StimulationVaddiparti A, McGrath H, Benjamin C, Sivaraju A, Spencer DD, Hirsch LJ, Damisah E, Quraishi IH. Gerstmann Syndrome Deconstructed by Cortical Stimulation. Neurology 2021, 97: 420-422. PMID: 34187861, PMCID: PMC9246017, DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012441.
- Tumor location and reduction in functional MRI estimates of language lateralityPołczyńska MM, Beck L, Kuhn T, Benjamin CF, Ly TK, Japardi K, Cavanagh L, Bookheimer SY. Tumor location and reduction in functional MRI estimates of language laterality. Journal Of Neurosurgery 2021, 135: 1674-1684. PMID: 33799298, PMCID: PMC8909357, DOI: 10.3171/2020.9.jns202036.
- Electrical cortical stimulation can impair production of the alphabet without impairing countingRojas PH, Sivaraju A, Quraishi IH, Vanderlind M, Rofes A, Połczynska-Bletsos MM, Spencer DD, Hirsch LJ, Benjamin CFA. Electrical cortical stimulation can impair production of the alphabet without impairing counting. Epilepsy & Behavior Reports 2021, 15: 100433. PMID: 33778464, PMCID: PMC7985277, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100433.
- Presurgical Language fMRI in Epilepsy: An IntroductionBenjamin C, Gkiatis K, Matsopoulos G, Garganis K. Presurgical Language fMRI in Epilepsy: An Introduction. 2020, 205-239. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-35687-3_10.
- Comorbidity of reading disabilities and ADHD: Structural and functional brain characteristicsLanger N, Benjamin C, Becker BLC, Gaab N. Comorbidity of reading disabilities and ADHD: Structural and functional brain characteristics. Human Brain Mapping 2019, 40: 2677-2698. PMID: 30784139, PMCID: PMC6508987, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24552.
- Presurgical language fMRI: Technical practices in epilepsy surgical planningBenjamin CFA, Dhingra I, Li AX, Blumenfeld H, Alkawadri R, Bickel S, Helmstaedter C, Meletti S, Bronen RA, Warfield SK, Peters JM, Reutens D, Połczyńska MM, Hirsch LJ, Spencer DD. Presurgical language fMRI: Technical practices in epilepsy surgical planning. Human Brain Mapping 2018, 39: 4032-4042. PMID: 29962111, PMCID: PMC6175127, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24229.
- T02. Impairment of consciousness induced by electrical cortical stimulation: Under-reported phenomenon or a disease-specific condition?Quraishi I, Benjamin C, Spencer D, Blumenfeld H, Alkawadri R. T02. Impairment of consciousness induced by electrical cortical stimulation: Under-reported phenomenon or a disease-specific condition? Clinical Neurophysiology 2018, 129: e1-e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.04.003.
- Presurgical language fMRI: Clinical practices and patient outcomes in epilepsy surgical planningBenjamin CFA, Li AX, Blumenfeld H, Constable RT, Alkawadri R, Bickel S, Helmstaedter C, Meletti S, Bronen R, Warfield SK, Peters JM, Reutens D, Połczyńska M, Spencer DD, Hirsch LJ. Presurgical language fMRI: Clinical practices and patient outcomes in epilepsy surgical planning. Human Brain Mapping 2018, 39: 2777-2785. PMID: 29528160, PMCID: PMC6033659, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24039.
- Correction: Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-MusiciansZuk J, Benjamin C, Kenyon A, Gaab N. Correction: Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-Musicians. PLOS ONE 2018, 13: e0191394. PMID: 29324890, PMCID: PMC5764450, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191394.
- Impairment of consciousness induced by bilateral electrical stimulation of the frontal convexityQuraishi IH, Benjamin CF, Spencer DD, Blumenfeld H, Alkawadri R. Impairment of consciousness induced by bilateral electrical stimulation of the frontal convexity. Epilepsy & Behavior Reports 2017, 8: 117-122. PMID: 29204347, PMCID: PMC5707211, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebcr.2017.09.006.
- Improving language mapping in clinical fMRI through assessment of grammarPołczyńska M, Japardi K, Curtiss S, Moody T, Benjamin C, Cho A, Vigil C, Kuhn T, Jones M, Bookheimer S. Improving language mapping in clinical fMRI through assessment of grammar. NeuroImage Clinical 2017, 15: 415-427. PMID: 28616382, PMCID: PMC5458087, DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.05.021.
- Presurgical language fMRI: Mapping of six critical regionsBenjamin CF, Walshaw PD, Hale K, Gaillard WD, Baxter LC, Berl MM, Polczynska M, Noble S, Alkawadri R, Hirsch LJ, Constable RT, Bookheimer SY. Presurgical language fMRI: Mapping of six critical regions. Human Brain Mapping 2017, 38: 4239-4255. PMID: 28544168, PMCID: PMC5518223, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23661.
- Language system organization in a quadrilingual with a brain tumor: Implications for understanding of the language networkPołczyńska MM, Benjamin CF, Japardi K, Frew A, Bookheimer SY. Language system organization in a quadrilingual with a brain tumor: Implications for understanding of the language network. Neuropsychologia 2016, 86: 167-175. PMID: 27143224, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.04.030.
- Correction: Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-MusiciansZuk J, Benjamin C, Kenyon A, Gaab N. Correction: Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-Musicians. PLOS ONE 2015, 10: e0137930. PMID: 26332852, PMCID: PMC4558094, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137930.
- Grammar tests increase the ability to lateralize language function in the Wada test.Połczyńska M, Curtiss S, Walshaw P, Siddarth P, Benjamin C, Moseley BD, Vigil C, Jones M, Eliashiv D, Bookheimer S. Grammar tests increase the ability to lateralize language function in the Wada test. Epilepsy Research 2014, 108: 1864-73. PMID: 25270400, DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2014.09.014.
- Role of the Wada test and functional magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative mapping of language and memory: two atypical casesPołczyńska MM, Benjamin CF, Moseley BD, Walshaw P, Eliashiv D, Vigil C, Jones M, Bookheimer SY. Role of the Wada test and functional magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative mapping of language and memory: two atypical cases. Neurocase 2014, 21: 707-720. PMID: 25372664, DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2014.977300.
- Elemental Spatial and Temporal Association Formation in Left Temporal Lobe EpilepsyBenjamin CF, Saling MM, Wood AG, Reutens DC. Elemental Spatial and Temporal Association Formation in Left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. PLOS ONE 2014, 9: e100891. PMID: 24978828, PMCID: PMC4076213, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100891.
- Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-MusiciansZuk J, Benjamin C, Kenyon A, Gaab N. Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Musicians and Non-Musicians. PLOS ONE 2014, 9: e99868. PMID: 24937544, PMCID: PMC4061064, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099868.
- The Neural Correlates of Reading Fluency Deficits in ChildrenLanger N, Benjamin C, Minas J, Gaab N. The Neural Correlates of Reading Fluency Deficits in Children. Cerebral Cortex 2013, 25: 1441-1453. PMID: 24335032, PMCID: PMC4428293, DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht330.
- Optimization of tractography of the optic radiationsBenjamin CF, Singh JM, Prabhu SP, Warfield SK. Optimization of tractography of the optic radiations. Human Brain Mapping 2012, 35: 683-697. PMID: 23225566, PMCID: PMC4083652, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22204.
- Interpolating Multi-Fiber Models by Gaussian Mixture SimplificationTaquet M, Scherrer B, Benjamin C, Prabhu S, Macq B, Warfield S. Interpolating Multi-Fiber Models by Gaussian Mixture Simplification. 2012, 928-931. DOI: 10.1109/isbi.2012.6235708.
- What's the story? The tale of reading fluency told at speedBenjamin CF, Gaab N. What's the story? The tale of reading fluency told at speed. Human Brain Mapping 2011, 33: 2572-2585. PMID: 21954000, PMCID: PMC3499039, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21384.
- Examining Fluent Reading Networks in Adults: Implications for Developmental Dyslexia?Benjamin C, Lee M, Gaab N. Examining Fluent Reading Networks in Adults: Implications for Developmental Dyslexia? Journal Of Developmental And Behavioral Pediatrics 2010, 31: e12. DOI: 10.1097/01.dbp.0000390289.61722.1a.
- Neuropsychological function in patients with a single gene mutation associated with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsyWood AG, Saling MM, Fedi M, Berkovic SF, Scheffer IE, Benjamin C, Reutens DC. Neuropsychological function in patients with a single gene mutation associated with autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior 2010, 17: 531-535. PMID: 20189461, DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.01.168.
- The Influence of Rest Period Instructions on the Default Mode NetworkBenjamin C, Lieberman DA, Chang M, Ofen N, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Gabrieli JD, Gaab N. The Influence of Rest Period Instructions on the Default Mode Network. Frontiers In Human Neuroscience 2010, 4: 218. PMID: 21151779, PMCID: PMC2999982, DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2010.00218.
- Pre- and post-encephalitic neuropsychological profile of a 7-year-old girlBenjamin C, Anderson V, Pinczower R, Leventer R, Richardson M, Nash M. Pre- and post-encephalitic neuropsychological profile of a 7-year-old girl. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation 2007, 17: 528-550. PMID: 17676533, DOI: 10.1080/09602010601130927.
- Increased serotonin receptor availability in human sleep: Evidence from an [18F]MPPF PET study in narcolepsyDerry C, Benjamin C, Bladin P, le Bars D, Tochon-Danguy H, Berkovic SF, Zimmer L, Costes N, Mulligan R, Reutens D. Increased serotonin receptor availability in human sleep: Evidence from an [18F]MPPF PET study in narcolepsy. NeuroImage 2005, 30: 341-348. PMID: 16275016, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.09.052.