Phonemic segmentation of narrative speech in human cerebral cortex

This fMRI study investigates the cortical loci of phonemic processing, expanding beyond single phonemes to include diphones and triphones. The researchers found that phonemic processing areas are significantly larger than previously thought, encompassing not only the dorsal superior temporal gyrus but also the lateral temporal cortex, where diphone features are prominently represented. While these areas overlap with lexical retrieval regions, the study demonstrates that word retrieval alone cannot fully explain the observed diphone responses. The research also identifies potential brain regions where phonemic processing and lexical retrieval intersect.

Xue L. Gong, Alexander G. Huth, Fatma Deniz, Keith Johnson, Jack L. Gallant, Frédéric E. Theunissen