Communicating chimps and talking humans show activity in same part of the brain

Chimpanzees may not be able to recite Hamlet or giving rousing speeches but there is no doubt that they are excellent communicators. They exchange a wide variety of sophisticated calls and gestures that carry meaning and can be tailored to different audiences. The sophistication of chimp communication doesn't stop there. Jared Taglialatela from the Yerkes National Primate Research Center has found that chimp signals and human speech are both strongly influenced by the same area in the left half of the brain - a region called the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). In humans, the left IFG is home to 'Broca's area', one of a few areas that are vitally important for our ability to speak coherently (even for those of us who rarely do so). As we speak, this area becomes highly active and it even lights up when we plan to say something or use sign language. People who ...