Cited by 572Neurobiology of Language and BilingualismPhonetics and Phonology ResearchNeuroscience and Music Perception

Separate neural subsystems within ‘Wernicke's area’

Wise, Richard J. S., Scott, Sophie K., Blank, S. Catrin, Mummery, Cath J., Murphy, Kevin, Warburton, Elizabeth A.·2001·Brain

Abstract

Over time, both the functional and anatomical boundaries of 'Wernicke's area' have become so broad as to be meaningless. We have re-analysed four functional neuroimaging (PET) studies, three previously published and one unpublished, to identify anatomically separable, functional subsystems in the left superior temporal cortex posterior to primary auditory cortex. From the results we identified a posterior stream of auditory processing. One part, directed along the supratemporal cortical plane, responded to both non-speech and speech sounds, including the sound of the speaker's own voice. Activity in its most posterior and medial part, at the junction with the inferior parietal lobe, was linked to speech production rather than perception. The second, more lateral and ventral part lay in the posterior left superior temporal sulcus, a region that responded to an external source of speech. In addition, this region was activated by the recall of lists of words during verbal fluency tasks. The results are compatible with an hypothesis that the posterior superior temporal cortex is specialized for processes involved in the mimicry of sounds, including repetition, the specific role of the posterior left superior temporal sulcus being to transiently represent phonetic sequences, whether heard or internally generated and rehearsed. These processes are central to the acquisition of long- term lexical memories of novel words.

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Galaburda AM, Sanides F, Geschwind N. Human brain. Cyto- architectonic left-right asymmetries in the temporal speech region. Arch Neurol 1978; 35: 812-7.
  2. Kosaki H, Hashikawa T, He J, Jones EG. Tonotopic organization of auditory cortical fields delineated by parvalbumin immuno- reactivity in macaque monkeys. J Comp Neurol 1997; 386: 304-16.
  3. Lichtheim L. On aphasia. Brain 1885; 7: 433-84.

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Authors
Wise, R. J. S., Scott, S. K., Blank, S. C., Mummery, C. J., Murphy, K., & Warburton, E. A.
Affiliations
  • Hammersmith Hospital (GB)
  • National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (GB)
  • Charing Cross Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Wise, Richard J. S.
Venue
Brain
Published
2001-01
Volume
124
Issue
1
Pages
83-95
ISSN
  • 0006-8950 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2156
OpenAlex
W2134521491
Cited by
572
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 31
FWCI
19.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Brain (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust (090961)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Phonetics and Phonology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Music Perception
Keywords
Wernicke's area, posterior superior temporal cortex, superior temporal sulcus, inferior parietal lobule, speech perception, speech production, verbal fluency
MeSH terms
Acoustic Stimulation, Auditory Cortex, Blood Flow Velocity, Brain Mapping, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Cognition, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Nerve Net, Speech, Temporal Lobe, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Verbal Behavior, Verbal Learning, Word Association Tests

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