Regional response differences within the human auditory cortex when listening to words

doi:10.1016/0304-3940(92)90072-F

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 146, Issue 2, 9 November 1992, Pages 179-182

https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(92)90072-F Get rights and content

Abstract

The relationship between activity within the human auditory cortices and the presentation rate of heard words was investigated by measuring changes in regional cerebral blood flow with positron emission tomography. We demonstrate that in the primary auditory cortices and middle regions of the superior temporal gyri there is a linear relationship between the rate of presentation of heard words and blood flow response. In contrast, the blood flow response in an area of the left posterior superior temporal gyrus (Wernicke's area) is primarily dependent on the occurrence of words irrespective of their rate of presentation. The primary auditory cortices are associated with the early processing of complex acoustic signals whereas Wernicke's area is associated with the comprehension of heard words. This study demonstrates for the first time that time dependent sensory signals (heard words) detected in the primary auditory cortices are transformed into a time invariant output which is channelled to a functionally specialised region - Wernicke's area. Wernicke's area is therefore distinguished from other areas of the auditory cortex by direct observation of signal transformation rather than by association with a specific behavioural task.

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Regional response differences within the human auditory cortex when listening to words

Abstract

Pure word deafness: analysis of a case with bilateral lesions and a defect at the prephonemic level

Brain

The relationship between local and global changes in PET scans

J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab.

Comparing functional PET images: the assessment of significant change

J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab.

Plastic transformation of PET images

J. Comput. Assist. Tomogr.

Stimulus rate determines regional brain blood flow in striate cortex

Ann. Neurol.

Combination of dynamic and integral methods for generating reproducible functional CBF images

J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab.