Introduction to Neuroscience 2: Lecture 12, Language

In this lecture, I talk about the neural mechanisms and cognitive neuroscience of language production and acquisition. We learn about what is language and speech and how the vocal tract produces phonemes. I discuss how language is learned, with emphasis on critical periods for language acquisition. We discuss Broca's Area and Wernicke's Area and how both are critical for language production and acquisition, but that current work shows that language is controlled by more areas of the brain than just these. We also discuss lateralization of language in the brain, how congenitally blind individuals use the "visual" cortex to read braille, and a little bit on the neuroscience of laughter.

Link to video of patient with Broca's Aphasia:

Link to video of patient with Wernicke's Aphasia:

Link to video of laughing bonobo chimps: