[2] Original studies on this area found that the planum temporale was one of the most asymmetric regions in the brain, larger in the left cerebral hemisphere than the right.

[4] The posterior extent of the planum temporale has been variably defined, which has led to disputes to estimates of size and degree of asymmetry.

[4] In addition, more and more research is suggesting that the apparent asymmetries in this region are the result of old techniques and criteria used to identify the planum temporale[citation needed].

This newer imaging would indicate that the size of the region would not explain the higher faculties of language in the left hemisphere, but would instead require an analysis of the neural circuitry.

There have been multiple findings suggesting a greater leftward surface area asymmetry in male subjects, with no significant difference as mediated by gender of the right part of the planum temporale.

[9] Certain studies have found differences within the planum temporale on a microscopic level, finding greater cell packing density in females, as well as a reduction of micro-structural asymmetry.

[11] The planum temporale may also play an important role in auditory processing with recent research suggesting that the region is responsible for representing the location of sounds in space.

[14] Although the brain area was thought to be unique to humans, almost like the anatomic version of the linguistic "language organ" of Noam Chomsky, it was shown to be similarly leftward asymmetric in chimpanzees and other great apes but not other primates,[15] as was a related, rightward asymmetric, brain region the planum parietale that is implicated with dyslexia in humans.