Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Word length modulates neural activity in auditory cortex during covert object naming.

Kayoko Okada1, Kevin R Smith, Colin Humphries

  • 1Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, 92697, USA.

Neuroreport
|December 10, 2003
PubMed
Summary

The left auditory cortex is involved in speech production, specifically in processing phonological codes. Neural activity in this area changes with word length, supporting its role in speech production.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distinct neural processes link speech planning and execution.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Determining hemispheric language dominance from MEG beta-power modulations: Concordance with fMRI.

NeuroImage·2026
Same author

Regional brain atrophy mediates age effects on words recognition in noise in adults.

NeuroImage·2026
Same author

Mapping of critical prosodic and phonetic networks in post-stroke apraxia of speech.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Temporal and Spatial Scales of Human Resting-State Cortical Activity across the Lifespan.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2025
Same author

Naming practice effects and inconsistencies relate to treatment outcome in people with aphasia.

Neuropsychologia·2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Speech Production

Background:

  • Evidence suggests posterior left auditory cortex involvement in speech production.
  • A hypothesis posits these regions process phonological codes during speech production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that posterior left auditory cortex processes phonological codes.
  • To investigate the role of auditory cortex in speech production using neuroimaging.

Main Methods:

  • Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
  • Subjects performed a covert object naming task with word lengths varying from one to four syllables.
  • Behavioral data on naming reaction time and fMRI data on neural activity were collected.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Object naming activated the left planum temporale, confirming auditory cortex involvement in speech production.
  • Neural activity in the left planum temporale showed a modulation effect based on word length.
  • Similar word length effects were found in premotor cortex but not in occipital-temporal cortex.

Conclusions:

  • Findings support the hypothesis that posterior left auditory cortex plays a role in phonological processing during speech production.
  • The observed length-dependent modulation of neural activity in the planum temporale is consistent with its role in phonological coding.
  • This study differentiates the roles of auditory cortex, premotor cortex, and occipital-temporal cortex in speech production and visual processing.