Wernicke (area of)

The Wernicke area is located at the junction between the auditory area and the speech associative areas. Described in the late 19th century by the German neurologist Carl Wernicke, it plays a fundamental role in the understanding of words and phrases. It is through it that we can make sense of the sounds we hear and decode spoken language.

The central role of the Wernicke area in understanding

Unlike Broca’s area, which is more involved in language production, Wernicke’s area is primarily devoted to reception and interpretation. It makes it possible to transform a sound stream into comprehensible concepts. When it works properly, we can follow a conversation, grasp nuances, or understand a text read aloud.

When the Wernicke area is damaged

An attack on this area leads to a pathology called Wernicke's aphasia. People keep their words flowing, but they become incoherent or meaningless. Moreover, they have great difficulty in understanding others. This disorder illustrates how essential this region is to human language and communication.