Question

Mariah has brain damage in the left frontal lobe of her brain. when she tries to speak, she struggles to produce words and is unable to say them correctly. mariah has damage to:
a. broca's area.
b. wernicke's area.
c. occam's area.
d. morton's area.

Answer 1

The correct answer is Broca's area. This is because Broca's area is the part in the cerebral cortex, specifically in the temporal lobe (not in the frontal lobe), and is responsible for producing language. Damage in the Broca's area will render the patient unable to speak words correctly and this is called expressive aphasia. The Wenicke's area on the other hand is also located in the temporal lobe and is responsible for interpreting language. Damage in the Wernicke's area will make all words to the patient non-understandable even when he can hear the words correctly and this is called receptive aphasia. Occam's area and Morton's area are not parts of the brain and does not exist.

Nice to know: There is a nerve tract that connects Broca's area to Wernicke's area called the arcuate fasciculus. Damage to the arcuate fasciculus will render the patient unable to repeat words.