"Neurons Predict Speech Before It's Spoken"

Researchers have used advanced Neuropixels probes to uncover neurons in the brain that can predict speech sounds before they are spoken, shedding light on the pre-verbal planning of speech. This breakthrough could lead to the development of speech prosthetics and improved treatments for language disorders, offering insights into the brain's language production capabilities and potential therapies for speech and language impairments. The study, published in Nature, demonstrates the intricate neural circuitry involved in speech production and the possibility of predicting spoken words before they are articulated, paving the way for artificial prosthetics and brain-machine interfaces for synthetic speech.