Coming upThu 5 Nov 2026,
Semantic networks and fluency dynamics: detecting subtle lexico-semantic change in low-grade glioma
Hidden language difficulties in brain tumour patients, and how word associations can reveal what standard tests miss.
The defense
From the University of Groningen agenda
- When
- Thu 5 Nov 2026, 90 min
- Where
- University of Groningen, NetherlandsArts
- Fields
- Supervisors
- Co-supervisor
- Language
- English
- Stream
- on university player
Stream link
A doctoral defense is public: anyone may watch.
About the thesis
Awake surgery for low-grade brain tumours helps spare speech, yet subtle language issues often elude standard tests. The thesis introduced semantic relatedness tasks that track how people judge word meanings and move between concepts when listing items. These measures revealed deficits in patients with normal clinical scores, linking damaged brain connections to memory navigation. The findings clarify how the brain organizes concepts and offer better methods for evaluating language after surgery.
Read the thesisUniversity announcement
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Listed from the University of Groningen agenda.