Which Brodmann area corresponds to the pars opercularis (frontal operculum)?

• A. BA 45
• B. BA 39
• C. BA 44
• D. BA 40

Answer: (C)

The area that corresponds to the pars opercularis is Brodmann area 44. This opercular part sits in the posterior portion of the inferior frontal gyrus, just over the insula, and is a key piece of what’s classically called Broca’s area in the dominant hemisphere, involved in planning and controlling speech production. The neighboring parts of the inferior frontal gyrus have different designations: pars triangularis is area 45, and pars orbitalis is area 47. In the nearby parietal lobe, area 39 is the angular gyrus and area 40 is the supramarginal gyrus, which aren’t part of the frontal operculum.