Neural networks for sentence comprehension and production: An ALE-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

Abstract

Comprehending and producing sentences is a complex endeavor requiring the coordinated activity of multiple brain regions. We examined three issues related to the brain networks underlying sentence comprehension and production in healthy individuals: First, which regions are recruited for sentence comprehension and sentence production? Second, are there differences for auditory sentence comprehension vs. visual sentence comprehension? Third, which regions are specifically recruited for the comprehension of syntactically complex sentences? Results from activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analyses (from 45 studies) implicated a sentence comprehension network occupying bilateral frontal and temporal lobe regions. Regions implicated in production (from 15 studies) overlapped with the set of regions associated with sentence comprehension in the left hemisphere, but did not include inferior frontal cortex, and did not extend to the right hemisphere. Modality differences between auditory and visual sentence comprehension were found principally in the temporal lobes. Results from the analysis of complex syntax (from 37 studies) showed engagement of left inferior frontal and posterior temporal regions, as well as the right insula. The involvement of the right hemisphere in the comprehension of these structures has potentially important implications for language treatment and recovery in individuals with agrammatic aphasia following left hemisphere brain damage.

Keywords: ALE; language; meta-analysis; sentence comprehension; sentence processing networks; sentence production.

© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Figures

Figure 1

Significant clusters associated with sentence comprehension (both auditory and visual) derived from ALE analysis: Left lateral (a), from above (left hemisphere is on the left) (b), right lateral (c), axials by z‐coordinates in MNI space (d). The scale bar reflects the ALE values. Cluster labels correspond to the numbering in Table 5

Figure 2

Clusters of significant activation derived from the production meta‐analysis: Left lateral (a), from above (left hemisphere is on the left) (b), right lateral (c), axials by z‐coordinates in MNI space (d). The scale bar reflects the ALE values. Cluster labels correspond to the numbering in Table 6a

Figure 3

Left hemisphere, midline, and right hemisphere views of significant clusters: Auditory comprehension vs. baseline (a), visual comprehension vs. baseline (b), conjunction map between auditory and visual studies (c). Cluster labels correspond to the numbering in Table 7a (auditory), Table 7b (visual), and Table 8 (conjunction). The scale bar reflects the ALE values

Figure 4

Significant clusters for noncanonical vs. canonical contrasts: Left lateral (a), from above (left hemisphere is on the left) (b), right lateral (c). The scale bar reflects the ALE values. Cluster labels correspond to the numbering in Table 10

Figure 5

Important functions for each region contributing to sentence comprehension (labels in white boxes) and production (labels in gray boxes) in the left and right hemispheres. Colors highlight approximate locations for each region. See text for additional details