Wernicke area is the language comprehension region in the posterior superior temporal gyrus of the dominant hemisphere, roughly Brodmann area 22 posteriorly, including part of the planum temporale. Carl Wernicke described it in 1874. It sits next to the auditory cortex and links sound with meaning.
| Location | Posterior superior temporal gyrus of the dominant (usually left) hemisphere |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Middle cerebral artery (inferior division) |
Decodes spoken and written words into meaning and supplies the content of speech.
Damage causes Wernicke (fluent, receptive) aphasia: speech flows normally but is full of wrong or made-up words, comprehension is poor and patients often seem unaware of the problem. It is usually caused by inferior division middle cerebral artery stroke, often without weakness. A superior quadrant visual field defect may be present from nearby optic radiation damage.
Fluent, meaningless speech with poor comprehension and poor repetition.
Severe fluent aphasia with speech made largely of invented words.
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