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Neural substrates of the ‘low‐level’ system for speech articulation: Evidence from primary opercular syndrome
Author(s) -
Silveri Maria Caterina,
Incordino Francesco,
Lo Monaco Rita,
Bizzarro Alessandra,
Masullo Carlo,
Piludu Francesca,
Colosimo Cesare
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of neuropsychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1748-6653
pISSN - 1748-6645
DOI - 10.1111/jnp.12099
Subject(s) - psychology , white matter , articulation (sociology) , neuroscience , audiology , frontal lobe , diffusion mri , broca's area , cognition , dysarthria , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , politics , political science , law , radiology
We describe a patient with progressive disorder of speech, without language impairment (opercular syndrome). Morphometric analysis confirmed asymmetric volume reduction of the precentral areas (>left). Diffusion imaging showed significant white matter changes in the left frontal lobe, with specific involvement of the left corticobulbar tract and connections between supplementary/pre‐supplementary motor areas and the frontal operculum (frontal aslant tract). We suggest that the organization of expressive language includes a ‘low level’ motor system principally distributed in the left hemisphere that shows specific susceptibility to neurodegeneration, distinct from neural systems subtending praxic, and cognitive aspects of language.