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A Blueprint for a Brain Map of Syntax

Yosef Grodzinsky

in Broca's Region

This chapter begins with a short review of two current methods for the study of brain language relations. It moves on to syntactic deficits in Broca's aphasia, which is argued to be restricted to ... More

This chapter begins with a short review of two current methods for the study of brain language relations. It moves on to syntactic deficits in Broca's aphasia, which is argued to be restricted to syntactic movement (aka grammatical transformations). It then reviews the current experimental record in neuroimaging of the healthy brain in Broca's region and seeks convergence with the aphasia results. It considers two recent findings that have located certain intrasentential dependency relations in different portions of the right hemisphere. These results drive the conclusion that a rough brain map for syntax may be within reach. Finally, the chapter proposes dimensions along which the syntacto-topic conjecture (STC) may be explored by examining how visual maps are currently investigated.Less

Broca’s Region: A Speech Area?

Luciano Fadiga, Laila Craighero, and Alice Roy

in Broca's Region

This chapter reviews some literature data and presents some experimental results showing that, in addition to speech-related tasks, Broca's area is also significantly involved during tasks devoid of ... More

This chapter reviews some literature data and presents some experimental results showing that, in addition to speech-related tasks, Broca's area is also significantly involved during tasks devoid of verbal content. The first part reviews a series of recent brain imaging studies that report, among others, the activation of areas 44/45. In consideration of the large variety of experimental paradigms inducing such activation, the chapter makes an interpretative effort by presenting neurophysiological data from the monkey homologue of BA44/BA45. Finally, it reports electrophysiological data on humans which connect speech perception to the more general framework of other's action understanding.Less

Weak Syntax

Sergey Avrutin

in Broca's Region

This chapter outlines a new approach to the investigation of aphasics' linguistic errors. The model represents a further development of ideas outlined in Avrutin (1999). It shows that damage to ... More

This chapter outlines a new approach to the investigation of aphasics' linguistic errors. The model represents a further development of ideas outlined in Avrutin (1999). It shows that damage to Broca's region diminishes the amount of resources necessary for conducting operations involving narrow syntax. This causes a slowdown in the process of speech production. Moreover, reduced power of this system (a direct consequence of diminished resources) may result in the situation where alternative systems become more powerful and therefore are used for the purposes of building information structure in comprehension or encoding a message. Impairment in Broca's aphasia is not limited to structures involving constituent movement (e.g., passive constructions, object relative clauses). Comprehension of pronouns and other determiners causes difficulties as well. Slow, effortful, telegraphic speech is characteristic of the same patients who demonstrate problems with comprehension of certain elements.Less

On Broca, Brain, and Binding

Peter Hagoort

in Broca's Region

This chapter begins by distinguishing between Broca's area in neuroanatomical, neuropsychological, and functional terms. It addresses the question: Is Broca's area a natural kind? That is, does it ... More

This chapter begins by distinguishing between Broca's area in neuroanatomical, neuropsychological, and functional terms. It addresses the question: Is Broca's area a natural kind? That is, does it carve brain and mind at its joints? The chapter then presents a proposal about the role of the left inferior frontal cortex, which contains Broca's area as classically defined.Less

The Origin of Broca’s Area and Its Connections from an Ancestral Working Memory Network

Francisco Aboitiz, Ricardo García, Enzo Brunetti, and Conrado Bosman

in Broca's Region

This chapter provides an updated version of the theory that language networks emerged as a specialization of temporoparietal-prefrontal networks involved in cognitive processes that require sustained ... More

This chapter provides an updated version of the theory that language networks emerged as a specialization of temporoparietal-prefrontal networks involved in cognitive processes that require sustained activity, like working memory, attention, and movement imitation. It begins with a brief overview of the original proposals and then discusses new evidence from comparative neuroanatomy, brain imaging, and cognitive neuroscience. The chapter ends with a discussion on the possible role of neuropsychological processes like working memory in semantic and syntactic processing.Less

Broca’s Area and Broca’s Aphasia (1976)

Jay P. Mohr

in Broca's Region

This chapter presents a paper published by Jay P. Mohr in 1976. The paper discusses the clinical syndrome of Broca's aphasia and its anatomic foundation, and Broca's cases.

Broca’s Area and Lexical-Semantic Processing

Stefano F. Cappa and Daniela Perani

in Broca's Region

This chapter focuses on the relationship between Broca's area and lexical-semantic processing. The first section reviews the aphasiological evidence for lexical and/or semantic impairment in the ... More

This chapter focuses on the relationship between Broca's area and lexical-semantic processing. The first section reviews the aphasiological evidence for lexical and/or semantic impairment in the syndrome of Broca's aphasia. The second section considers the relationship between damage to Broca's area and neighboring structures and specific aspects of linguistic impairment in the syndrome, including disorders of lexical/semantic processing. Finally, the chapter reviews the contribution of functional imaging to the issue of the role of Broca's area in lexical/semantic processing.Less

A Multimodal Analysis of Structure and Function in Broca’s Region

Katrin Amunts and Karl Zilles

in Broca's Region

The term “Broca region” is used inconsistently in the literature with respect to the underlying microstructure. It is often applied as a clinical and/or historical concept of a center of language ... More

The term “Broca region” is used inconsistently in the literature with respect to the underlying microstructure. It is often applied as a clinical and/or historical concept of a center of language processing without keeping in mind a certain microstructurally defined cortical area. However, it appears yet undecided whether the concept of “Broca region” is more than a historical one or an imprecise descriptor of a language center, that is, whether a functionally and/or anatomically defined unit is beyond the term. Thus, it seems to be reasonable, at least, to investigate this question using a combination of anatomical approaches (multimodal analysis of microstructure) with functional analysis of language (psycholinguistics) and, finally, clinical studies. This chapter focuses on the microstructure of the putative Broca region and how this anatomical information can be used for the interpretation of data from functional imaging studies (fMRI, positonemission tomography (PET)) of language-related tasks.Less

The Role of Broca’s Area in Sign Language

Karen Emmorey

in Broca's Region

Broca's area (Brodmann areas 44/45) and the immediately surrounding cortex have been shown to play a role in several aspects of linguistic, as well as nonlinguistic, processing. Given the ... More

Broca's area (Brodmann areas 44/45) and the immediately surrounding cortex have been shown to play a role in several aspects of linguistic, as well as nonlinguistic, processing. Given the similarities between signed and spoken languages for phonology and syntax (two domains of processing implicated as functions of Broca's area), this chapter examines whether there is any evidence that Broca's area is involved in these aspects of sign language processing and whether this involvement mirrors that found for spoken languages. It shows that the functions associated with Broca's area for spoken language parallel those for signed language. With respect to language production, imaging data indicate a critical role for Broca's area (particularly BA 45) in lexical retrieval and/or selection. More posterior cortex (BA 44) appears to be involved in the coordination of linguistic articulation, regardless of whether the articulators are manual-brachial or orofacial.Less

A Role for Broca’s Area Beyond Language Processing: Evidence from Neuropsychology and fMRI

Gereon R. Fink, Zina M. Manjaly, Klaas E. Stephan, Jennifer M. Gurd, Karl Zilles, Katrin Amunts, and John C. Marshall

in Broca's Region

Broca's area (or, more generally, the left inferior frontal region) is implicated in many language and language-related tasks. This chapter addresses the question of whether it is legitimate to move ... More

Broca's area (or, more generally, the left inferior frontal region) is implicated in many language and language-related tasks. This chapter addresses the question of whether it is legitimate to move from this assertion (supported by very large numbers of lesion studies and functional neuroimaging experiments) to the theoretical claim that the exclusive (or even the core) specialization of Broca's area is the mediation of language functions. It shows that particular neuroanatomical regions, including Broca's area, change their functions consequent upon the simultaneous activation of other regions that are effectively connected to a given region.Less

Involvement of the Left and Right Frontal Operculum in Speech and Nonspeech Perception and Production

Martin E. Meyer and Lutz Jäncke

in Broca's Region

This chapter reviews sublexical and prelexical modes of speech processing, all types of nonspeech and music processing and speech and nonspeech production. It focuses on clustered domains and attempt ... More

This chapter reviews sublexical and prelexical modes of speech processing, all types of nonspeech and music processing and speech and nonspeech production. It focuses on clustered domains and attempt to illustrate the commonalities between them. It shows that a multitude of heterogeneous tasks and processes illuminate the role of the frontal operculum in both the left and the right hemisphere with the first primarily involved in phonological processing and the latter preferentially driven by paralinguistic and nonlinguistic domains, i.e., speech complexity, music perception and production, and sound perception. Results for left and right hemisphere are discussed.Less

Treating Language Deficits in Broca’s Aphasia

Lewis P. Shapiro and Cynthia K. Thompson

in Broca's Region

This chapter describes a research program that investigated the treatment of sentence production and comprehension deficits found with individuals who have Broca's aphasia. The program sought to ... More

This chapter describes a research program that investigated the treatment of sentence production and comprehension deficits found with individuals who have Broca's aphasia. The program sought to investigate the efficacy of a treatment approach that is based on evidence from a variety of sources, including linguistic, psycholinguistic, and neurolinguistic investigations. The intent also is to use treatment and recovery data to reveal brain-language relations. The chapter describes the empirical origins of the program, the treatment approach, and its experimental products.Less

The Neural Basis of Sentence Processing: Inferior Frontal and Temporal Contributions

Angela D. Friederici

in Broca's Region

This chapter presents a model that proposes a temporofrontal network for sentence processing. The model suggests that temporal areas analyze and identify the elements at each processing phase with ... More

This chapter presents a model that proposes a temporofrontal network for sentence processing. The model suggests that temporal areas analyze and identify the elements at each processing phase with respect to their specific characteristics while the inferofrontal areas are responsible for aspects of sequencing and building of dependency relations. The semantic network, more specifically, is assumed to consist of the posterior portion of the superion temporal gyrus (STG) and the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) together with the more ventral portion of the inferior frontal gyri (IFG) (BA 45/47). In contrast, the network subserving online syntactic processes seems to consist of the anterior portion of the STG and the Broca's area (BA 44/45), i.e., pars triangularis/pars opercularis and the frontal operculum. Processes of late integration and reanalyis may partly be supported by the posterior portion of the STG and the basal ganglia (BG), respectively.Less

The Cytoarchitectonics of the Fields Constituting Broca’s Area (1931)

Ludwig Riegele

in Broca's Region

This chapter presents a paper published by Ludwig Riegele in 1931. Riegele worked at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Brain Research in Berlin, which was one of the most advanced centers for ... More

This chapter presents a paper published by Ludwig Riegele in 1931. Riegele worked at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Brain Research in Berlin, which was one of the most advanced centers for neuroscience featuring a modern multidisciplinary approach to the brain that consisted of europathology, psychiatry, electrophysiology, comparative anatomy, and genetics. Many of Riegele's criteria for cytoarchitectonic borders can still be used in mapping efforts today.Less

Broca’s Area in System Perspective: Language in the Context of Action-Oriented Perception

Michael Arbib

in Broca's Region

A neurolinguistic approach to language is part of a performance approach that analyzes both perception and production. For production, there is much that could be possibly talked about which might be ... More

A neurolinguistic approach to language is part of a performance approach that analyzes both perception and production. For production, there is much that could be possibly talked about which might be represented as cognitive structures from which some aspects are selected for possible expression. Further selection and transformation yield semantic structures (hierarchical constituents expressing objects, actions, and relationships) that constitute a semantic form. Finally, the ideas in the semantic form should be expressed in phonological form, that is, as words whose markings and ordering reflect the relationships within semantic form. This chapter extends the phonological form to embrace a wide range of ordered expressive gestures that may include speech, sign, and orofacial expressions.Less

From hand actions to speech: evidence and speculations

Luciano Fadiga, Alice Catherine Roy, Patrik Fazio, and Laila Craighero

in Sensorimotor Foundations of Higher Cognition

This chapter reviews experimental evidence and presents new data supporting the idea that human language may have evolved from hand/mouth action representation. Some of the findings include the ... More

This chapter reviews experimental evidence and presents new data supporting the idea that human language may have evolved from hand/mouth action representation. Some of the findings include the discovery that the listener's motor system becomes active as if pronouncing the listened words during speech listening and that hand gestures where the hand is not explicitly visible activate the hand-related mirror neuron system, including Broca's region. This chapter concludes that the property of recursion, considered peculiar to human language, may have been introduced to hand actions by the fabrication of tools.Less

Jölich Workshop Excerpts

yosef Grodzinsky and Katrin Amunts

in Broca's Region

This chapter presents excerpts from the Jülich workshop, which represent the main issues that arise when one attempts to reconcile the multiple perspectives that currently exist on Broca's region. ... More

This chapter presents excerpts from the Jülich workshop, which represent the main issues that arise when one attempts to reconcile the multiple perspectives that currently exist on Broca's region. Topics covered include anatomy and localization, diversity of functional analyses of language, representation and processing, language development, functional connectivity, functional imaging, and lesion studies.Less

Contributions to a Histological Localization of the Cerebral Cortex. Communication: The Division of the Human Cortex (1908)

Korbinian Brodmann

in Broca's Region

This chapter presents a paper published by Korbinian Brodmann in 1908, which contains the first complete description of a parcellation of the whole cortical surface, one that is still widely used ... More

This chapter presents a paper published by Korbinian Brodmann in 1908, which contains the first complete description of a parcellation of the whole cortical surface, one that is still widely used today. The paper is a shorter version of Brodmann's famous 1909 book.Less

The Organization of Language and the Brain (1970)

Norman Geschwind

in Broca's Region

This chapter presents a paper published by Norman Geschwind in 1970. Geschwind helped revive the interest in brain-language relations in the 1940s-1950s. His work on the cerebral representation of ... More

This chapter presents a paper published by Norman Geschwind in 1970. Geschwind helped revive the interest in brain-language relations in the 1940s-1950s. His work on the cerebral representation of language resulted in an enriched Connectionist model, which he explored in the context of other disorders such as apraxia and agnosia.Less

Evaluating Deficit Patterns of Broca Aphasics in the Presence of High Intersubject Variability

Dan Drai

in Broca's Region

A hypothesis about the existence of a computation for which Broca's area is indispensable would take the following form: identify two classes of sentences such that one involves the relevant ... More

A hypothesis about the existence of a computation for which Broca's area is indispensable would take the following form: identify two classes of sentences such that one involves the relevant computation and the other does not, then form a motivated prediction on the way a deficit in this computation should affect the performance of the Broca aphasics. The concluding step would be to evaluate the prediction in light of the empirical record of performances of Broca aphasics. This chapter is mainly concerned with this last step. It looks for a way of modeling the data that leaves room for sharp statistical claims, such as: “The performances of Broca aphasics on sentences of type A are significantly different from their performances on sentences of type B” while taking into account the high variability of the data. The chapter reports on the principles that have guided the compilation of performance data to which the methodology will be applied. It then briefly explains the trace deletion hypothesis (TDH) and its prediction concerning patterns of performance of Broca aphasics. It also presents a very simple stochastic model for the performances of a given subject and deduce a way of summarizing one individual's performance on a set of sentences. The chapter then illustrates the high individual variability of performance data viewed through the above statistics and presents a model for evaluating group performances (the beta binomial). Finally it applies the described framework to the evaluation of the TDH, showing a contrast in accordance with the prediction of TDH.Less