A Strong Connection between Hand Gestures and Tongue Movements

Abstract

Speech and gestures are impeccably coordinated, and tongue movements and hand movements are interrelated.
The purpose of this article was to review articles related to tongue movements, hand movements, speech and
gestures. All studies including case studies, cohort studies, experimental studies and reviews, which explained
the relationship between hand and mouth, hand and tongue, hand gestures and speech during the period
between 1998 and 2019 were included in the study. A total of 36 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion
criteria were finally included in this review. A number of experiments have established the relationship between
tongue area and hand area, and hand gestures and speech. Thus, tongue movements and hand movements are
coordinated and Broca’s area controls not only the speech but also hand gestures. This concept can be used to
rehabilitate the hand in cases of damage to cortical area representing hand.