Positron emission tomography (PET) allows live imaging of brain regions that are most active during language tasks.Suppose that you see two sequential PET images of a person's brain.The visual cortex is most active in the first image, whereas Broca's area is most active in the second image.Which of the following is the most likely explanation for these different patterns of brain activation?
A) The person was talking and then viewing words.
B) The person was thinking of words and then reading.
C) The person was listening to conversation and then writing.
D) The person was reading and then writing.
E) The person was reading and then speaking.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The two most active brain regions during language tasks are Broca's area (involved in language production) and Wernicke's area (involved in language comprehension). The fact that the visual cortex was most active in the first image suggests that the person was viewing something, and the fact that Broca's area was most active in the second image suggests that the person was speaking. Therefore, the most likely explanation is that the person was reading and then speaking (choice E).

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Allows Live Imaging of Brain Regions