image: This is an X-ray showing electrodes that surgeons use to find and remove the source of seizures (to cure epilepsy), while sparing the source of mental functions like language. In this study, recordings when patients spoke words revealed that one small part of the brain computes the meanings, structure, and sounds of words, separately and in a quick sequence. It is important to note that electrodes are only implanted in people's brains as part of existing and accepted surgical practice. We then get patients' consent to also record from these electrodes for research purposes. Electrodes are never implanted just for research. This image relates to an article that appeared in the October 16, 2009, issue of Science, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. N.T. Sahin of the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, Calif., and colleagues, was titled, "Sequential Processing of Lexical, Grammatical, and Phonological Information within Broca's Area." view more
Credit: Illustration courtesy of Ned T. Sahin, Ph.D.