An fMRI investigation of covertly and overtly produced mono- and multisyllabic words
Abstract
Studies suggest that the left insula may play an important role in speech motor programming. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the role of the left insula in the production of monosyllabic or multisyllabic words during overt and covert speech conditions. The left insula did not show a BOLD response for multisyllabic words (which should require more speech motor programming) that was different from that for monosyllabic words. Left parietal lobe regions showed a greater response for multisyllabic as compared to monosyllabic words. This is consistent with clinical studies showing that left parietal lobe lesions can produce a deficit in speech programming. Despite similarities, covert and overt speech did not demonstrate the same patterns of BOLD response. The BOLD response was greater during overt speech in areas that have been shown to play an important role in speech production including left premotor cortex/BA6, left primary motor cortex, left insula, and left superior temporal gyrus.
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Previous data suggest that inner and overt speech share neural generators.
“While previous data suggest that inner and overt speech share neural generators, relatively few neurophysiological studies have explored the extent to which these two processes are functionally equivalent.”
From Neurophysiological evidence of efference copies to inner speech (2017) · cites this paper as Shuster and Lemieux, 2005
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- Authors
- SHUSTER, L., & LEMIEUX, S.
- Affiliations
- West Virginia University (US)
- Corresponding author
- SHUSTER, L
- ORCID
- LEMIEUX, S
- Venue
- Brain and Language
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-04
- Volume
- 93
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 20-31
- ISSN
- 0093-934X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1971583361
- Cited by
- 205
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 2.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Brain and Language (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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
- left insula, covert speech, overt speech, polysyllabic words, monosyllabic words, left parietal lobe, speech production, BOLD signal, premotor cortex, primary motor cortex, superior temporal gyrus
- MeSH terms
- Acoustic Stimulation, Adult, Cerebral Cortex, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Cortex, Parietal Lobe, Speech, Temporal Lobe, Head Movements
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