title: Common cortical and thalamic mechanisms for language and motor functions.
abstract: Evidence for common mechanisms in the human brain for motor and language functions is reviewed, particularly evidence derived from electrical-stimulation mapping during cortical and thalamic operations in awake patients. Several systems in the dominant hemisphere are identified where language and motor function share common mechanisms, including a lateral thalamic attentional system and a lateral perisylvian cortical system common to sequential movement and speech sound identification, where precise timing may be a common mechanism.
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D009043:Motor Activity; D013060:Speech; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology*