What words are telling us about the brain.

Modern functional brain imaging with PET and fMRI provides a new perspective on the organization of language in the human brain. A better definition of the distributed nature of the brain circuits involved, an appreciation of the flexibility of these circuits in adapting to the different aspects of speech production, an identification of areas not previously associated with the cognitive aspects of language, and a new understanding of the implications of specific brain lesions on the lives and behavior of patients are all early suggestions of the benefits to be derived from this work. Much exciting work lies ahead.