Tongue gyrus: functions and characteristics of this part of the brain

This fold of the brain is related to processes as varied as reading and dreaming.

There are many structures that are part of the nervous system, being the cerebral cortex one of the most developed in humans. In it is possible to observe the presence of a large number of convolutions and grooves, being folds that allow the condensation in a small space of a large amount of neuronal mass.

These folds are part of the gray matter of the brain and participate in different functions. One of them is the lingual gyruswhich we are going to talk briefly about in this article.

The lingual gyrus: what is it and where is it located?

The lingual gyrus is one of the gyri or cerebral gyri, that is to say, the part that comes out of the folds present in the cerebral cortex. It is a gyrus that is not as well known or popular as others such as the supramarginal gyrus, but nevertheless seems to have a great importance in different brain functions.

The lingual gyrus is located in the occipital lobe, in the middle part of the occipital lobe.The lingual gyrus is located between the calcarine fissure and the collateral sulcus. At its ends it joins on one side it joins the visual area by being in contact with the wedge, while on the other side it ends by joining the parahippocampal gyrus in the temporal lobe.

Although the name of this brain region seems to indicate a relationship with speech, the truth is that its name has nothing to do with its function: the name of this gyrus comes largely from its tongue-like shape. its tongue-like shape. However, curiously, it is involved in some aspects of language, although not in the oral ones.

Main functions of this part of the brain

The lingual gyrus is a brain gyrus that is involved or participates in different functions of great relevance for the human brain. functions of great relevance for the human being.. Among them we can highlight the following.

1. Importance in visual processing and color perception.

It has been observed that the lingual gyrus, as an active part of the occipital lobe, is associated with the ability to encode complex images. It also seems to be linked to subjective color perception, producing its lesion achromatopsia.

2. Involved in visual memory

Likewise, different investigations have shown that the lingual gyrus not only participates in image coding but also plays a relevant role in visual memory, ... producing different stimulus recognition problems.. In fact, the lingual gyrus is one of the areas that allows us to identify stimuli with symbolic meaning, such as letters. It also allows us to recognize faces and objects.

3. Reading

We said earlier that the lingual gyrus, despite its name, was not associated to a great extent with the ability to speak, but it did have some involvement in language. Another of the major functions associated with the lingual gyrus has to do with reading, as it is one of the parts of the brain that allows us to and name the stimuli through vision to subsequently transform them, being a first to subsequently transform them, being a relevant first step to allow reading.

4. Semantic processing

In addition to the purely visual, the lingual gyrus participates in the processing of semantic information both in situations in which the visual stimulus has symbolic elements per se or the subject tries to attribute them to it.

5. Involvement in emotion

The lingual gyrus is also connected to the parahippocampal gyrus, so it is in contact with the parahippocampal gyrusThe lingual gyrus is also connected with the parahippocampal gyrus, so that it is in contact with the limbic system. It has been observed that the activation of this gyrus correlates with the impression of emotionality to images.

6. The ability to imagine: divergent thinking and creativity

The ability to create and elaborate strategies different from the usual and known ones in order to solve problems is also linked to the activity of the lingual gyrus, although it is more strongly associated with the frontal lobe. Specifically, the lingual gyrus would be linked to the creation and elaboration of mental images that are part of the imagination.

7. The ability to dream

Another aspect that has been found to be associated with the lingual gyrus is the link that has been observed between this gyrus and the possibility of elaborate images during sleepbeing at least partly responsible for our ability to have dreams.

Problems associated with its lesion

The lesion of the lingual gyrus can generate different types of problems and deficits that can lead to a deterioration or limitation of the functionality of human beings in their daily life. Among them is the possible appearance of pure alexia or inability to read (although the ability to write is preserved).

Another problem that may appear is prosopagnosia, a type of visual agnosia in which we are unable to recognize familiar faces.

Memorization and spatial navigation are also impaired, as well as achromatopsia or color blindness.as well as achromatopsia or color blindness may also appear.

It has also been observed that the lesion of the lingual gyrus, generally due to cerebral infarcts in that area, tends to generate loss of oneiric capacity (i.e. to have dreams). (i.e. to have dreams). In addition to the above, the lingual gyrus has also been associated with other problems: an example is the recently studied link of this gyrus with the severity of anxious-depressive symptomatology in young people.

Excessive activation of this area also has effects: it has been observed that visual noise may be generated, the perception of small black and white dots in the whole visual field, which resemble the that resemble the snow effect that would occur in an old television with a malfunctioning antenna.

Bibliographic references:

• Couvy-Duchesne, B.; Strike, L.T.; de Zubicaray, G.; McMachon, K.L.; Thompson, P.M.; Hickie, I.B.; Martin, N.G. & Wright, M.J. (2018). Lingual Gyrus Surface Area is associated with anxiety-depression severity in young adults: a genetic clustering approach. eNeuro, 5 (1).
• Bogousslavsky, J.; Miklossy, J.; Deruaz, J.P.; Assal, G. & Regli, F. (1987). Lingual and fusiform gyri in visual processing: a clinico-pathologic study of superior altitudinal hemianopia. Journal of Neurologý, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 50: 607-617.
• Kehoe, E. G.; Toomey, J. M.; Balsters, J. H., & Bokde, A. L. (2012). Healthy aging is associated with increased neural processing of positive valence but attenuated processing of emotional arousal: an fMRI study. Neurobiol Aging.
• Zhang, L.; Qiao, L.; Chen, Q.; Yand, W.; Xu, M.; Yao, X.; Qiu, J. & Yang, D. (2016). Gray Matter Volume of the Lingual Gyrus Mediates the Relationship between Inhibition Function and Divergent Thinking. Front. Psychol, 7: 1532.
• Zilles, K. & Amunts, K. (2012). Architecture of the Cerebral Cortex. In: Mai, J. & Paxinos, G. (2012). The Human Nervous System. 3rd edition.