The Neuroscience of Speech, Language & Music

This podcast episode is from the Huberman Lab. Dr. Andrew Huberman, a science teacher at Stanford, talks with Dr. Erich Jarvis, a brain scientist from New York. Dr. Jarvis studies how our brains help us speak, use language, and even dance or sing. He looks at how our genes and our brain circuits help us make sounds, move our hands, and learn new things like speaking and music.How We Read and SpeakDr. Jarvis explained something cool: When we read, our neck muscles move a little bit, almost like we are whispering the words to ourselves. Scientists can see this with special machines. It means, inside our heads, we are kind of talking when we read—even if no one hears us. He also found that animals who can dance or sing (like parrots) learn language in ways like humans.Speech vs. LanguageThe podcast talks about the difference between speech and language. Speech is how we make sounds and talk. Language is about what we are saying and the words we use. Both are controlled by different parts of our brain. But in the brain, there is not a special "language area." The pathways for talking are the same ones that control our mouth and throat muscles. Only a few animals, like humans and parrots, can use these pathways to copy sounds and talk.Animals and CommunicationMany animals can communicate. Whales sing, dolphins click, and birds chirp, but they do not have a language like humans. Some animals use body language or hand signals, like how birds do special dances in the air. In the brain, the places for talking and making gestures are very close together. That is why humans use their hands a lot when talking, like in Italian or French.Some animals, like gorillas, can learn hand signs but cannot talk because their brain pathways do not allow them to make those sounds.Feelings and SoundsDr. Jarvis and Dr. Huberman talked about how our basic feelings and sounds, like "mmm" when food smells good, are part of language. Most animals make natural sounds from birth, like babies crying or dogs barking. But only some, like humans and parrots, can copy new sounds. This is called "vocal learning" and is very rare.When we learn new things, like speaking or playing music, the top part of our brain (forebrain) helps. The lower part (brain stem) makes us cry or shout when we feel something strong.How Language EvolvedIt’s hard to say when modern language started because bones do not tell us much. But scientists think even Neanderthals and other ancient humans could talk a little, because they had some of the same genes as us.Birds are important for research because they learn songs like we learn language. Both humans and birds have special genes, like FOXP2, that help with speech. If these genes have problems, both humans and birds can have trouble speaking.Learning Speech and MusicBoth humans and birds have a "critical period"—a special time when learning language or songs is easier. If they miss it, they find it much harder to learn later. For example, kids can learn new languages fast, but adults have a harder time.Genes and family culture both help us learn to speak. If a bird grows up with a different bird, it might learn a mix of songs. If children hear two languages growing up, they can mix them or even create a new language.Speech, Music, and DanceDr. Jarvis found that animals who can dance are the same ones who can copy sounds, like parrots. Parrots, humans, and some birds can move to music because their brains connect the sound and movement parts. Dr. Jarvis even made a theory called the "Motor Theory of Vocal Learning," saying speech and dance are connected in the brain.When we speak, the muscles in our throat work really fast, even faster than when we run! Some genes help protect our brains from getting tired during speech or singing.