title: Functional lateralization of speech production at primary motor cortex: a fMRI study.
abstract: To evaluate lateralization of speech production at the level of the Rolandic cortex, functional magnetic resonance imaging (1.5 Tesla, 27 parallel axial slices, EPI-technique) was performed during a speech task (continuous silent recitation of the names of the months of the year). As control conditions, non-speech tongue movements and silent singing of a well-known melody with the syllable 'la' as its carrier were considered. Tongue movements produced symmetrical activation at the lower primary motor cortex. During automatic speech a strong functional lateralization to the left hemisphere emerged within the same area. In contrast, singing yielded a predominant right-sided activation of the Rolandic region. Functional lateralization of speech production therefore seems to include the precentral gyrus as well as Broca's area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wildgruber
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Klose
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kardatzki
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grodd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*