A major neural pathway that connects Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area is called _______.

Correct option is B

The Arcuate Fasciculus is a white matter bundle that serves as the primary neural pathway connecting Broca’s area (responsible for speech production) and Wernicke’s area (responsible for language comprehension).
-It plays a crucial role in language processing and verbal communication.
-Damage to the Arcuate Fasciculus leads to conduction aphasia, where a person can understand language and speak fluently but has difficulty repeating words or phrases.

Thus, the correct answer is Arcuate Fasciculus (Option 2).

Information Booster:
-Broca’s Area (located in the left frontal lobe) controls speech production and articulation.
-Wernicke’s Area (located in the left temporal lobe) is responsible for language comprehension.
-The Arcuate Fasciculus allows for smooth communication between speech comprehension and production centers.
-Conduction Aphasia occurs when the Arcuate Fasciculus is damaged, leading to difficulty repeating words despite intact comprehension and speech production.
-The left hemisphere is dominant for language in most people, particularly in right-handed individuals.
-The Arcuate Fasciculus is part of the superior longitudinal fasciculus, which connects different cortical regions in the brain.
-Modern neuroimaging techniques (like DTI – Diffusion Tensor Imaging) help visualize the white matter pathways, including the Arcuate Fasciculus.

Additional Information:

Option 1 (Anterior Commissure) – The anterior commissure is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres, primarily linking the temporal lobes. It plays a role in interhemispheric communication, particularly in olfaction (sense of smell), memory, and pain perception. It is smaller than the corpus callosum but still significant in brain connectivity.

Option 3 (Massa Intermedia) – The massa intermedia (or interthalamic adhesion) is a small, gray matter connection between the two thalami in the brain. It is present in some individuals but absent in others, with no significant functional deficits when missing. Its exact role is unclear, but it may assist in interthalamic communication.

Option 4 (Posterior Commissure) – The posterior commissure is a small bundle of nerve fibers located near the upper end of the cerebral aqueduct. It plays a role in pupillary light reflexes and eye movement coordination, connecting midbrain structures.