[Contribution of positron-emission tomography to the study of language]

Language is the most evolved and complex of cognitive functions. During recent years, its study has largely benefited from new medical imaging technologies among which positron emission tomography (PET), allowing for direct observation of in vivo human brain activity. This paper reviews some of the important advances in the understanding of single-word processing provided by PET, integrating them in the context of other fields of investigation such as cognitive neuropsychology. It also points out the limitations of the technique and some of its recent developments, opening the way for further comprehension of language processing.