The speech circle is a circuit for transmitting information from hearing sensors and intramuscular sensitivity to areas of speech analyzers of the cerebral cortex, then to areas of speech reproduction, further to the muscles of the speech apparatus, and in turn the work of the speech apparatus activates certain sensory systems, and during the circulation of information there is a constant modification.

Simplified option:

Hearing (1), Intramuscular sensitivity (5)> Wernicke (8)> Broca (9)> Muscle Activity (5)

In the process of pronouncing speech aloud, two sensory systems are activated — this is hearing (1) and intramuscular sensitivity of the muscles of the speech apparatus (5). Moreover, these two systems actually interpret one and the same information synchronously.

All sensory information passes through a region in the brain — the thalamus (2). The thalamus is a collection of nerve nodes or thalamic nuclei, which are groups and clusters of neurons. The human thalamus is a symmetrical formation having from 40 to 60 nuclei. The thalamus does not simply transmit information further to higher areas of the brain, but plays an important role in concentration, it is like a gatekeeper, stands at the entrance of the flow of information and assesses what to skip from the information and what to ignore. The nervous system is so arranged that it only works correctly at a certain level of brain activity, therefore mutual inhibition works between the thalamic nuclei, which forms a concentration mechanism. Concentration, for example, on hearing can suppress tactile sensations. Attention in the thalamus is regulated in two ways: “bottom up” and “top down”. The path “bottom up” is laid in animals from birth, We are inevitably attracted by loud sounds, new sounds, pain, unpleasant smells, etc. These signals are associated with reflex acts that increase (modulate) the sensitivity of the corresponding thalamic nuclei. The path “top bottom” is often a weaker control of attention and is carried out from the prefrontal cortex (10). We can, through our desires and our will, concentrate on certain senses and even on a certain part of the skin, but at the same time a loud sound will still shift our attention. Of course, everything is amenable to training and there are practices that allow us to develop attention management.

Already at the level of the thalamus information can be given an emotional assessment, for example, a loud and unexpected sound can activate the amygdala and cause a feeling of fear. Instinctively, the crying of a child is unpleasant to us, and the laughter of a child certainly evokes a feeling of joy.

After the thalamus (2), the information paths are distributed between the corresponding areas, the representatives of the cortex, information from the hearing organs enters the auditory cortex (3), and from the intramuscular receptors into the sensory cortex (6). In these areas, images of primary levels of abstraction are formed, then parts of these images merge into the associative cortex (4) and copies of the images of commands from the motor cortex (7) are added to the muscles of the vocal apparatus, all of these images will be signs for transferred to the Wernicke area (8).

Wernicke’s area (8) is responsible for speech perception. A person with damage to the Wernicke area can have excellent hearing and recognize and distinguish different sounds, but is not able to understand speech, including his own. As mentioned earlier, two sensory systems: hearing and intramuscular sensitivity synchronously form images that interpret one and the same information, but the total image from the two systems is perceived by Wernicke’s field, more precisely three should be added and copies of commands from the motor cortex to the muscles of the vocal apparatus. If the sensory information from the hearing is stopped, and only the sensitivity of the muscles remains, then Wernicke’s field will still “hear” this speech, the associative connection of these obtained images is very strong and for the associative cortex it doesn’t matter what features will form the image.

A person constantly conducts an internal monologue, his peculiarity is that the muscles of the speech apparatus make very weak contractions, which do not lead to the uttering of sounds and generally visible movements, but are sufficient to fix these contractions with intramuscular receptors. Reverberations arise between the Wernicke field (8) and the associative crust (4), which provide some context of information and associative links.

Images of Wernicke’s field (8) as signs are transmitted to Broca’s area (9) by means of an arc beam — a nerve cluster. Broca’s field (9) — the area of ​​the cerebral cortex responsible for speech reproduction. When the Broca area is damaged, a person can perfectly understand someone else’s speech, but when trying to speak instead of speech, inarticulate sounds are reproduced, or it is possible to play only one word. But Broca’s field is also important in the perception of sound, which is reflected in the severe defeat of the area. Contour: Broca’s field (9), motor cortex (7), associative cortex (4), and Wernicke’s field (8) are important for the formation of chains of sounds that form words; in turn, chains of words form phrases and sentences.

During speech, Broca’s field (9) is involved in reverberations with the prefrontal cortex (10). The prefrotal cortex (10) is a very extensive area of ​​the cerebral cortex, it is she who is responsible for the comprehension of what is happening at a given point in time. Reverberations with the participation of the pre-frontal cortex and in it themselves determine the instant memory, the memory of information that is necessary in the process of performing specific actions while we keep them in our field of attention, for about a few minutes. In addition, our prefrontal cortex (10) can have an inhibitory effect on emotional centers, thereby reducing their impact on our behavior.

Damage to the prefrontal cortex (10) makes a person more impulsive, makes him subject to vices, and actions become less deliberate and reasonable. It can be said that only due to the constant activity of the prefrontal cortex we do not obey the first call of our needs, for example, the desire to empty the bladder while in an important meeting, but allow us to see it through and do everything in the right place. Management of emotional centers allows you to determine what information will be stored and processed in the circle of Peipets (13). Please note that the information from the thalamus (2) falls not only into the analyzer areas, but also interesting and useful information is stored in the belt gyrus here for a longer time.

The main contour of the speech circle in the internal speech begins with the muscles of the speech apparatus (5), then the thalamus (2), sensory cortex (6), associative cortex (4), Wernicke’s field (8), then Broca’s field (9). Broca, in turn, “communicates” with the prefrontal cortex (10) and sends commands to the motor cortex (7). The motor cortex (7) sends commands to the basal ganglia (11) and a copy of these commands (12) to the cerebellum. The cerebellum (12) corrects commands of the motor cortex, dividing the work of motor units more harmonious and coordinated in time. Damage to the cerebellum can lead to slower speech, as the formation of motor action becomes more difficult. The basal ganglia form the final form of the command for the muscles of the vocal apparatus (5).

Very complex generator.

It is important to note that in the speech circle with the internal speech there is a “physical basis” — muscular activity. This makes internal speech subject to control, for example, during sleep a decrease in the tone level of all muscles, which deprives the internal monologue of feedback through muscle sensitivity, therefore only a small contour is possible (8, 9, 7, 4, 8). Unbeknownst to the prefrontal cortex (10) in the process of sleep, when the inhibitory effect on the emotional centers decreases, the Peipets circle (13) is activated and triggers images that could cause an increased emotional evaluation during the day, this is what creates the dreams. In his work “The Interpretation of Dreams” Sigmund Freud very successfully and accurately described the principle of dreams. The basis of visible dreams is a simple phrase or sentence, which has for us a significant value at the time of falling asleep, but we do not hear it, but only see visual images interpreted on its basis. Not infrequently, without additional control with the help of a “physical basis” a phrase can turn into nonsense.

Speech is a tool that allows us to transmit and accumulate information, declare and plan actions and events, thanks to this tool, Man was able to create a civilization. The main form of our thinking is internal speech, internal monologue and most of the time in this monologue we devote to social interactions, working through upcoming dialogues, or imaginary dialogues, for example, we go home from work and can predict what we will say to our wife (spouse, mom , brother, friend) at the meeting, that she (he) answer that we will answer in response. And these banal and mundane things are occupied by our mind constantly, if you are not a philosopher-thinker, who soars in the clouds. Speech allows us to declare all aspects of our life in a certain system of signs and meanings. Developed speech is a distinctive feature of Man from animals.

Now, having an idea of how the brain works and how speech is formed in this brain, we can answer the question: “What is mind and where is it localized?”.

Our nervous system is a single whole mechanism that can be divided into separate functional parts. Select individual chains of neurons, neural networks performing a specific task, for example, you can select sensory analyzers or, as in the example above, the contour chains are responsible for speech. I call these functional neural networks “personalities”, as much indicates their certain independence. Typically, these personalities in a healthy nervous system exchange information, they inform each other about what they are doing at the moment, about what is happening at the moment. This is due to the large number of connections between areas of the brain. Personalities act in cooperation, as if this is a coordinated team, no one is trying to go against the team. And the reason is simply associative learning, the events taking place at the same time will unite.

Schemes formed by neurons and configurations of connections between them in the Human nervous system can be divided into very small and simple ones, but we will select only a few basic ones. First, it is possible to distinguish sensory analyzers, for different types of sensory signals, their structures are defined. For visual information, these are thalamic visuals nucleus and the occipital portion of the cerebral cortex. Rumor — areas in the temporal lobes, sensory information — these are the parietal areas of the cortex, the taste is a small area in the insular lobes, the sense of smell is the olfactory bulbs and a small area in the temporal areas. The task of these neural networks is the primary processing of sensory information, as a result of the work, the formation of a certain image and its transfer to the associative regions of the cortex. The associative cortex connects various images, from analyzers forming their images based on them, this area is responsible for the perception of the surrounding world, it is this that forms the integrity of the picture of the world surrounding us. There are also chains of neurons capable of describing, declaring images formed by the associative cortex, they are localized in the Broca and Wernicke zones, but speech mechanisms may extend beyond these areas. The area responsible for making decisions is the prefrontal cortex, our thoughts in the form of inner speech are reverberations between the prefrontal cortex and the Broca area. Further, it is possible to isolate the areas responsible for motor actions, these areas are subject to a certain hierarchy, at the head of the motor cortex, then the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, and the formation of basic movements is possible in the reticular formation and spinal cord. But at the same time, neural networks in these formations can be completely independent, if there are no commands from above.