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Activity associated with speech articulation measured through direct cortical recordings
Alexandra Basilakos1, Julius Fridriksson1, Chris Rorden2
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, United States.
Brain and Language
|February 26, 2017
Summary
The superior precentral gyrus of the insula (SPGI) shows activity during speech articulation. However, other brain regions involved in speech production exhibit more significant responses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Speech Production Research
Background:
- The insula is implicated in various cognitive functions, including speech production.
- Understanding the precise role of the insula in speech requires detailed neural investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural activity of the superior precentral gyrus of the insula (SPGI) during speech production.
- To compare SPGI activity with other speech-related brain regions using electrocorticography.
Main Methods:
- Electrocorticography (ECoG) signals were recorded from two epilepsy patients.
- ECoG data were analyzed for event-related band power (ERBP) in the high-gamma frequency range (75-150Hz).
- SPGI activity was compared to frontal and post-central regions during pseudoword articulation versus listening.
Main Results:
- SPGI contacts showed increased high-gamma ERBP during articulation compared to listening.
- Frontal and post-central regions exhibited significantly greater responses to articulation than the SPGI.
- The SPGI is active during speech, but less so than other critical speech production areas.
Conclusions:
- The SPGI is involved in speech articulation.
- Frontal and post-central regions play a more dominant role in articulation.
- Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.
