Studies have revealed a connection between two cortical areas located in the temporal lobe which are essential for our ability to use language.

The researchers employed scans of 50 human brains and 29 chimpanzee brains that were performed similarly to human brain scans but under carefully monitored anaesthesia and as part of normal veterinarian examinations in order to explore the differences between the human and chimpanzee brains. They utilized a method known as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), which particularly examines white matter, the neuronal networks that connect different parts of the brain.

The connectivity of two language-related brain hubs (the anterior and posterior middle portions of the temporal lobe) was done by the researchers using these images.

The researchers discovered that while the connectivity of the posterior middle temporal areas in chimpanzees is primarily restricted to the temporal lobe, in humans a new connection employing the arcuate fasciculus as an anatomical conduit between the frontal and parietal lobes arose. The temporal lobes connection has expanded as a result of changes to both human language areas.

Experts stated that the arcuate fasciculus was not the primary driver of evolutionary changes preparing the brain for a fully developed linguistic capacity. It was difficult to draw any conclusions about how the brain functions in this study because it was entirely anatomical. (Hindustan Times, Jul 31, 2022)