The somatotopy of speech: phonation and articulation in the human motor cortex
Open accessAbstract
A sizable literature on the neuroimaging of speech production has reliably shown activations in the orofacial region of the primary motor cortex. These activations have invariably been interpreted as reflecting "mouth" functioning and thus articulation. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare an overt speech task with tongue movement, lip movement, and vowel phonation. The results showed that the strongest motor activation for speech was the somatotopic larynx area of the motor cortex, thus reflecting the significant contribution of phonation to speech production. In order to analyze further the phonatory component of speech, we performed a voxel-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies of syllable-singing (11 studies) and compared the results with a previously-published meta-analysis of oral reading (11 studies), showing again a strong overlap in the larynx motor area. Overall, these findings highlight the under-recognized presence of phonation in imaging studies of speech production, and support the role of the larynx motor cortex in mediating the "melodicity" of speech.
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A role for the insula in control of breathing may explain its activation during non-verbal orofacial functions including lip movement, tongue movement, and vocalisation.
“A role for the insula in the control of breathing may explain why this area is activated during non-verbal orofacial functions including lip movement, tongue movement and vocalisation (Brown et al., 2009) because mouth movements interfere with the regular pattern of breathing thereby increasing the demands on the control of breathing.”
From A review and synthesis of the first 20years of PET and fMRI studies of heard speech, spoken language and reading (2012) · cites this paper as Brown et al., 2009
Bilateral insula regions are involved in phonation for speech, volitional exhalation, and syllable singing.
“This is consistent with observations that bilateral insula regions are involved in phonation for speech, volitional exhalation (Loucks et al., 2007) and syllable singing (Brown et al., 2009; Zarate et al., 2010).”
From A review and synthesis of the first 20years of PET and fMRI studies of heard speech, spoken language and reading (2012) · cites this paper as Brown et al., 2009
The role of human striatum in speech acquisition and production has begun to be appreciated, but specific loci have not been as well defined as for cortex.
“The role of the human striatum in speech acquisition and production has begun to be appreciated (57, 83), but specific loci have not been as well defined as for the cortex.”
From Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds (2014) · cites this paper as [57]
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References 73 · Cited by 210
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Yip M 2002 Tone Cambridge Cambridge University Press
- Authors
- Brown, S., Laird, A. R., Pfordresher, P. Q., Thelen, S. M., Turkeltaub, P., & Liotti, M.
- Affiliations
- Simon Fraser University (CA)
- The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center (US)
- University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Corresponding author
- Brown, Steven
- Venue
- Brain and Cognition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-06
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 31-41
- ISSN
- 0278-2626 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2873785
- OpenAlex
- W2112649554
- Cited by
- 210
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 6.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Brain and Cognition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- GRAMMY Foundation
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH074457)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Phonetics and Phonology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Voice and Speech Disorders
- Keywords
- speech production, primary motor cortex, somatotopic organization, phonation, articulation, larynx, vowel phonation, tongue movement, lip movement, reading aloud
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Larynx, Lip, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Cortex, Phonetics, Psychomotor Performance, Reading, Speech, Tongue, Young Adult
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