Language center

Language center refers to the areas of the brain that are involved in language processing. These areas were traditionally thought to be confined to the Broca's area and the Wernicke's area, but modern neuroimaging studies have shown that language processing involves a broader network of cortical areas.

Anatomy

The language centers of the brain are located in the dominant cerebral hemisphere, which is the left hemisphere in about 95% of right-handed individuals and 70% of left-handed individuals. The two most well-known language areas are named after Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke.

Broca's area

Broca's area is located in the frontal lobe of the brain and acts as the speech production center. Damage to this area can result in Broca's aphasia, a condition characterized by partial loss of the ability to produce language, although comprehension generally remains intact.

Wernicke's area

Wernicke's area is located in the superior temporal gyrus in the dominant cerebral hemisphere, which is the left hemisphere in about 95% of right-handed individuals and 70% of left-handed individuals. Damage to this area can result in Wernicke's aphasia, a condition characterized by issues with language comprehension while speech retains a natural-sounding rhythm and a relatively normal syntax.

Function

The language centers of the brain are involved in various aspects of language processing. Broca's area is involved in speech production and language comprehension, while Wernicke's area is involved in the comprehension of speech.

Clinical significance

Damage to the language centers of the brain, such as from a stroke, can result in language disorders such as aphasia. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. It can result in difficulty speaking, reading, writing, and understanding language.

See also

• Aphasia
• Broca's area
• Wernicke's area
• Neuroscience of language

References

Language center Resources
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