Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Higher 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...

Neurons as Communicators of the Brain

Neurons as Communicators of the Brain

Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, function as the primary transmitters of information throughout the body. Their ability to communicate through electrical and chemical signals is vital for every bodily function, from regulating the heartbeat to processing complex thoughts. Each neuron has three main components: the cell body (soma), dendrites, and an axon, each specialized to facilitate swift and efficient neural communication.
Cell Body
The cell body, also known...

Language and Cognition

Language 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.

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.

Brain Imaging

Brain Imaging

Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Prevalence of Lewy body pathology and phenotypic associations in patients with mild cognitive impairment: Evidence from the Interceptor study.

Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026

Same author

Increased beta-band salience network connectivity predicts 12-month longitudinal changes in depressive and anxiety symptom severity in young adults: a resting-state EEG study.

European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience·2026

Same author

Synergistic tension among the music and lyrics of late-Romantic choral songs.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Alexithymia and Social Cognition in the General Population: Further Evidence on the Relationship with Theory of Mind, Emotion Recognition, and Empathy.

Journal of Intelligence·2026

Same author

Alpha connectivity in the frontoparietal network is increased in individuals with familial risk for depression: A resting-state EEG study towards a potential endophenotype.

Behaviour research and therapy·2026

Same author

Shaping the bodily self: exploring the influence of early attachment experiences on body ownership.

Psychological research·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Published on: January 26, 2024

Intention processing in communication: a common brain network for language and gestures.

Ivan Enrici¹, Mauro Adenzato, Stefano Cappa

¹Department of Psychology, Center for Cognitive Science, University of Turin, via Po, 14-10123 Turin, Italy.

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

|October 20, 2010

Summary

Brain networks for understanding communicative intention are similar regardless of whether language or gestures are used. Specific brain areas activate based on the communication method, but the core intention processing remains consistent.

More Related Videos

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

Published on: October 4, 2015

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Published on: January 26, 2024

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

Published on: October 4, 2015

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Psycholinguistics

Background:

Human communication relies on understanding mental states, particularly communicative intentions.
The role of expressive modality (linguistic vs. gestural) in processing communicative intentions is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if the brain network for processing communicative intentions differs based on modality.
To identify common and modality-specific neural substrates for intention comprehension.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
Combined factorial and conjunction analyses were used to examine brain activity patterns.
Participants' comprehension of communicative intentions conveyed through linguistic and gestural means was assessed.

Main Results:

A common neural network, including the precuneus, posterior STS, TPJ, and medial pFC, is activated for intention processing irrespective of modality.
Modality-specific networks were also identified: a peri-sylvian network for linguistic and a sensorimotor network for gestural communication.
These findings suggest modality-specific gateways access a common representation of communicative intention.

Conclusions:

Communicative intention processing recruits a shared neural network, demonstrating modality independence at a core level.
Distinct sensorimotor pathways are engaged depending on whether linguistic or gestural information is processed.
Information from different communicative modalities is processed equivalently regarding the reconstruction of communicative intention.