Using our database of MRI structural images and behavioural assessments from 120 Stroke patients, we have:

• identified six discrete left hemisphere brain regions where damage has a high probability of causing persistent speech production difficulties

• dissociated brain regions where damage causes different types of speech production difficulties.

We are now in the process of replicating these findings with a different set of over 100 patients. If successful, then our findings will have important relevance for clinicians who can use the results to inform the patient and their carers of the likelihood that speech production difficulties will recover or persist.

Using our database of fMRI language activation in 40 Stroke patients, we have:

• identified a new neural pathway that can support reading when the left occipito-temporal cortex is damaged. These findings have implications for understanding the degree to which a patient will recovery following left occipito-temporal damage.

• dissociated different right hemisphere neural systems that can compensate for left frontal damage

Using our database of fMRI language activation in 20 Patients with brain tumours, we have:

• dissociated the effects of parietal tumours and their removal on speech production systems.

 Critically, none of the findings summarized above would have been possible without JSMF funding that supported both data acquisition and important methodological developments In brief, JSMF funding has also allowed us to:

• set up a database of behavioural, structural and functional imaging data

• develop methods to automate the identification of brain regions with abnormal structure and function

• develop methods to characterize sources of variability in normal and patient brain structure and function.