BACKGROUND:The brain mechanism of semantic processing is one of the focus problems in cognitive neuroscience.With the research technologies plentiful and diversified, the brain mechanism of semantic processing is gradually distinct.However, at present, the related researches on Chinese semantic processing are not enough. The brain mechanism of semantic processing by Chinese language obstacle should be studied more deeply.OBJECTIVE: To further identify the neuropsychological significance of clinical diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation by concluding the study fruits on the brain mechanism of semantic processing by native Chinese speaker with dysphonia and analyze the relationship between the related brain mechanism and the local brain system of semantic processes as well as brain anatomical parts.RETRIEVE STRATEGY: The retrieve staffs are the research personnel for this paper. The range of retrieve time focuses since 1984. A computer-based online search was conducted in CNKI for literatures related to basic neuropsychology and its clinical application published between January 1994 and May 2006, in Elsevier for articles between January 1984 and May 2006, in Academic Source Premier and MEDLINE of EBSCOhost for studies between January 1984 and May 2006 with the key words of "semantic processing", and the language was limited to English. Meanwhile, relevant data were searched manually. The number of total retrieved articles was 264, among which 43 enrolled studies were in accordance with the inclusion criteria and excluded articles involving semantic processing or encephalic region but without their relationship. The unpublished articles were only used for references LITERATURE EVALUATION: The literatures are selected from related works, collected analyses, reports from single case or research. Evaluated persons are related research staffs.DATA SYNTHESIS: Processing of Chinese semantic relied primarily on the left superior temporal region, middle temporal gyrus, the inferior gyrus of frontal regions as well as the left middle frontal gyrus, which make up a frontal-temporal network for semantic processing. Lexical-semantic processing is strongly correlated with activation in the posterior portion of left superior temporal region and the middle temporal gyrus, which appear to be responsible for storage and automatic of semantic processing. The anterior temporal region is related to integrate different semantic knowledge. More strategic processes and those that require specific memory resources may be represented in the inferior frontal cortex. In addition, the left middle frontal gyrus is special to Chinese semantic process, and some scholars infer the reason is the unique style of Chinese characters.CONCLUSION: At present, there are many methods to study neuropsychology, brain tissues and its functions, with which a great deal of neuropsychological disorder and mechanism of pathological changes in clinic can be studied and comprehended more distinctly, and all these are greatly helpful to the treatment and rehabilitation.