Work

From Multimodal Sensorimotor Integration to Semantic Networks: A Phylogenetic Perspective on Speech and Language Evolution

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This integrative perspective article delves into the crucial role of the superior temporal sulcus (STS) and adjacent perisylvian regions in multimodal integration and semantic cognition. Drawing from a wide range of neuroscientific evidence, including studies on nonhuman primates and human brain evolution, the article highlights the significance of the STS in linking auditory and visual modalities, particularly in the establishment of associative links between auditory inputs and visual stimuli. Furthermore, it explores the expansion of the human temporal lobe and its implications for the amplification of multisensory regions, emphasizing the role of these regions in the development of word-related concepts and semantic networks. We propose a posteroanterior gradient organization in the human temporal lobe, from low-level sensorimotor integration in posterior regions to higher-order, transmodal semantic control in anterior portions, particularly in the anterior temporal lobe. Overall, this perspective provides a comprehensive overview of the functional and evolutionary aspects of the STS and adjacent regions in multimodal integration and semantic cognition, offering valuable insights for future research in this field.

Source: Neurobiology of Language

DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00164

Authors: Maëva Michon, Francisco Aboitiz

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Praxiling

Language: English

Topic: Multisensory perception and integration

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,100

Funder: Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo