Beyond a Single Area: Motor Control and Language Within a Neural Architecture Encompassing Broca's Area

In this position paper, we discuss a neural architecture comprising three major cortical systems: the inferior frontal cortex (including Broca's area), the rostral part of the posterior parietal cortex, and the superior temporal cortex. This network of areas is critical to imitation and to language. What are the functional properties of the network that make it possible for imitation and language to co-exist within the same neural architecture? We propose that this network implements cortical forward and inverse modeling for actions and speech sounds of self and others.