[The language area of the brain: a functional reassessment]

Abstract

Introduction: During the late 19th and early 20th century, a 'brain language area' was proposed corresponding to the peri-Sylvian region of the left hemisphere as concluded by clinical observations. This point of view has continued up today.

Aim: Departing from contemporary neuroimaging studies, to re-analyze the location and extension the brain language area with regard to the different Brodmann areas.

Materials and methods: Using the method known as metaanalytic connectivity modeling seven meta-analytic studies of fMRI activity during the performance of different language tasks are analyzed.

Results: It was observed that two major brain systems can be distinguished: lexical/semantic, related with the Wernicke's area, that includes a core Wernicke's area (recognition of words) and an extended Wernicke's area (word associations); and grammatical system (language production and grammar) corresponding to the Broca's complex in the frontal lobe, and extending subcortically It is proposed that the insula plays a coordinating role in interconnecting these two brain language systems.

Conclusions: Contemporary neuroimaging studies suggest that the brain language are is notoriously more extended than it was assumed one century ago based on clinical observations. As it was assumed during the 19th century, the insula seemingly plays a critical role in language.