Broca's area and the ventral premotor cortex in language: functional differentiation and specificity

Cortex. 2006 May;42(4):472-5. doi: 10.1016/s0010-9452(08)70380-0.

Abstract

The idea is put forward that Broca's area (BA 44/45) and the left ventral premotor cortex (BA 6) together with the frontal operculum support different functions during language processing. While BA 44/45 is seen to be increasingly activated whenever the internal re-construction of a hierarchical structure from a sequential input is necessary, BA 6 is involved in the processing of local structural dependencies. This functional differentiation is discussed in the context of the neurocytoarchitectonical differentiation between agranular structure characterizing BA 6 and a dysgranular cortical structure characterizing BA 44/45. This differentiation is exemplified in the domain of language, but is possibly applicable to non-language domains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Comprehension / physiology
  • Frontal Lobe / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Language*
  • Motor Cortex / physiology*