Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
10:15
Utilizing Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Language Function in Stroke Patients with Chronic Non-fluent Aphasia
Published on: July 2, 2013
Selection for position: the role of left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex in sequencing language
Malathi Thothathiri1, Myrna F Schwartz, Sharon L Thompson-Schill
1Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, USA. thothatm@einstein.edu
Brain and Language
|February 13, 2010
Summary
Patients with left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) damage show language deficits. Impaired selection for position explains their difficulties with word order and sequencing in language production.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psycholinguistics
- Cognitive Neurology
Background:
- Damage to the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) is associated with syntactic deficits.
- Patients with left VLPFC damage also exhibit heightened interference effects in non-syntactic tasks like picture naming and working memory.
Observation:
- This study investigated whether inadequate biasing of competitive interactions during language production underlies these deficits.
- Positional interference was manipulated during multi-word naming tasks in four patients with left VLPFC damage.
Findings:
- Two patients demonstrated exaggerated positional interference, increased errors (including omissions), and difficulty with non-canonical English word order.
- These two patients also showed impaired comprehension of non-canonical reversible sentences, suggesting a specific deficit in "selection for position".
Implications:
- The findings suggest that a specific subregion of the frontal cortex (Brodmann area 44/6), implicated in sequencing, may be crucial for selection for position.
- This highlights the role of the left VLPFC in both syntactic processing and the sequential organization of language production.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:10Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
01:28Lateralization
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
01:05Cerebral Hemispheres
The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
01:22Lobes of the Cerebrum
The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.