Cortical localisation of the visual and auditory word form areas: A reconsideration of the evidence

In this paper we examine the evidence for human brain areas dedicated to visual or auditory word form processing by comparing cortical activation for auditory word repetition, reading, picture naming, and environmental sound naming. Both reading and auditory word repetition activated left lateralise...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain and language 2003-08, Vol.86 (2), p.272-286
Main Authors: Price, C.J., Winterburn, D., Giraud, A.L., Moore, C.J., Noppeney, U.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anatomical correlates of behavior
Auditory
Auditory Cortex - anatomy & histology
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Brain Mapping
Cognitive science
Cognitive Sciences
Female
Functional imaging
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Life Sciences
Male
Neurons and Cognition
Neuroscience
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Reading
Repetition
Visual
Visual Cortex - anatomy & histology
Vocabulary
Word form areas
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Summary:In this paper we examine the evidence for human brain areas dedicated to visual or auditory word form processing by comparing cortical activation for auditory word repetition, reading, picture naming, and environmental sound naming. Both reading and auditory word repetition activated left lateralised regions in the frontal operculum (Broca’s area), posterior superior temporal gyrus (Wernicke’s area), posterior inferior temporal cortex, and a region in the mid superior temporal sulcus relative to baseline conditions that controlled for sensory input and motor output processing. In addition, auditory word repetition increased activation in a lateral region of the left mid superior temporal gyrus but critically, this area is not specific to auditory word processing, it is also activated in response to environmental sounds. There were no reading specific activations, even in the areas previously claimed as visual word form areas: activations were either common to reading and auditory word repetition or common to reading and picture naming. We conclude that there is no current evidence for cortical sites dedicated to visual or auditory word form processing.
ISSN:0093-934X
1090-2155
DOI:10.1016/S0093-934X(02)00544-8