SENTENCE READING - A FUNCTIONAL MRI STUDY AT 4 TESLA

In this study changes in blood oxygenation and volume were monitored w hile monolingual right-handed subjects read English sentences. Our res ults confirm the role of the left peri-sylvian cortex in language proc essing. Interestingly, individual subject analyses reveal a pattern of activation characterized by several small,limited patches rather than a fen large, anatomically well-circumscribed centers. Between-subject analyses confirm a lateralized pattern of activation and reveal activ e classical language areas including Broca's area, Wernicke's area, an d the angular gyrus. In addition they point to areas only more recentl y considered as language-relevant including. the anterior portion of t he superior temporal sulcus. This area has not been reliably observed in imaging studies of isolated word processing. This raises the hypoth esis that activation in this area is dependent on processes specific t o sentence reading.