Figure 3a: shows typical activation patterns obtained during silently speaking a letter name (two left panels), and overtly speaking a letter name (two right panels). Broca’s area was activated in both conditions, but to a larger extent in the overt condition (right, top panel). The middle and inferior portions of the primary motor cortex (MLT-PMC and IV-PMC) were activated bilaterally during overtly speaking a letter name, but not during silently speaking a letter name.