Functional neuroanatomy of speech processing within the temporal cortex.
The phonemic structure of the maternal language determines the way of perceiving speech signals. A typical example is that native Japanese listeners map two English phonemes, /r/ and /l/, onto the same /R/. This perceptual assimilation of speech sounds has been associated with the left and/or right posterior perisylvian region, but the precise functional anatomy is unknown. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a repetition priming paradigm, we identified three subregions in the left temporal cortex: an anterior division sensitive to language-specific phonological knowledge, and a midlateral and a posterior division related to other vocal stimuli features. Dynamic causal modeling supports the scheme by which the anterior pathway processes perceptual assimilation; the posterior pathway processes lexico-semantic information.
Hara
Nobuko F
NF
Department of Speech Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. nobuko-hara@umin.net
Nakamura
Kimihiro
K
Kuroki
Chihiro
C
Takayama
Yoshihiro
Y
Ogawa
Seiji
S
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008959:Models, Neurological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*
D010100:Oxygen