What is the Difference Between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area

The main difference between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area is that Broca’s area controls the ability to speak words in conjunction with the motor cortex, whereas Wernicke’s area controls the ability to understand the meaning of words.

Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are two areas of the brain that play a critical role in human language. They occur in the human temporal lobe. 

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Broca’s Area
– Definition, Facts, Features
2. What is Wernicke’s Area
– Definition, Facts, Features
3. Similarities Between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area
– Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area
– Answers to frequently asked questions

Key Terms  

Broca’s Area, Wernicke’s Area

What is Broca’s Area

Broca’s area is an area of the brain involving speech function. Surgeon Paul Broca discovered the Broca’s area in 1861. It is located in the frontal part of the left hemisphere. The exact location of Broca’s area is the third frontal convolution. Also, it is located just anterior to the face area of the motor cortex.

Figure 1: Broca’s Area

Further, it is located just above the Sylvian fissure. Pars triangularis (Brodmann area 45) and pars opercularis (Brodmann area 44) are the two areas of Broca’s area. Broca’s area also connects to the other brain regions, including Wernicke’s area. Arcuate fasciculus is the neuronal tract connecting Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas.

Furthermore, Broca’s area plays a vital role in generating articulate speech. Apart from that, it involves language comprehension. Further, it applies to motor-related activities associated with hand movement, integration, and sensorimotor learning. In addition, Broca aphasia is a speech disorder caused by damage to the frontal lobe. It produces a deliberate, telegraphic speech. Also, the speech has a straightforward grammatical structure.   

What is Wernicke’s Area

Wernicke’s area is an area of the brain that is involved in the comprehension of speech. German neurologist Carl Wernicke first described the Wernicke’s area in 1874. It is located in the posterior third of the upper temporal convolution of the brain’s left hemisphere. Thus, it is close to the auditory cortex. Function-wise, it is vital to comprehend speech sounds and receptive language.

Figure 2: Wernicke’s Area

Moreover, Wernicke aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage to the temporal lobe. It produces difficulty in understanding language. Also, the speech is fluent but empty of content. Circumlocutions characterize this situation.  

Similarities Between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area

• Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are two areas that occur in the brain’s temporal lobe.
• They play a role in language.

Difference Between Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area

Definition

Broca’s area refers to a region in the frontal lobe of the brain’s dominant hemisphere, usually the left, with functions linked to speech production. In contrast, Wernicke’s area refers to a region of the brain that contains motor neurons involved in comprehending speech.

Location

Broca’s area is located in the left side of the frontal lobe, while Wernicke’s area is located in the posterior third of the upper temporal convolution of the left hemisphere of the brain.

Function

Broca’s area associates with language production, while Wernicke’s area associates with language comprehension. 

FAQ: Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area

What is the main difference between Broca’s and Wernicke’s aphasia?

Broca’s aphasia results in limited language, such as single words or short sentences, while Wernicke’s aphasia results in jumbled “word salad” language. 

What are the different functions of Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas in the brain?

Both areas play a part in language. Broca’s area is responsible for language production, while Wernicke’s area is responsible for language comprehension.

What is the difference between Broca’s and Wernicke’s aphasia speech?

In Broca’s aphasia, repetition is impaired. In comparison, Wernicke’s aphasia patients speak with normal fluency prosody. They follow grammatical rules with standard sentence structure.  

Conclusion

In brief, Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are two areas of the brain that occur in the temporal lobe. Broca’s area is located on the left side of the frontal lobe. Also, it associates with language production. In comparison, Wernicke’s lobe is located in the posterior third of the upper temporal lobe. However, its function is language comprehension. Therefore, the main difference between Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas is their location and function.  

References:

1. “Broca Area.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 22 Nov. 2023
2. “Wernicke Area.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Broca’s area – BA44 and BA45” By Fatemeh Geranmayeh, Sonia L. E. Brownsett, Richard J. S. Wise – Own Work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “BrocasAreaSmall” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia