Cortical activity in the left and right hemispheres during language-related brain functions.

The blood flow to a given brain region increases as the level of neural activity is augmented. Hence mapping of variations in regional cerebral blood flow affords a means of imaging the activity of various brain regions during various types of brain work. The paper summarizes the patterns of cortical activity seen during various language functions, emphasizing the practically symmetrical involvement in both hemispheres. A case of auditive agnosia (with complete cortical word deafness but preserved pure tone thresholds) is presented. The patient's normal speech constitutes evidence that auditory feedback (absent in his case) is not a prerequisite for speaking.