Speaking requires learning to map the relationships between oral movements and the resulting acoustical signal, which demands a close interaction between perceptual and motor systems. Though historically seen as distinct, the neural mechanisms controlling speech perception and production mechanisms are now conceptualized as largely interacting and possibly overlapping. This chapter charts the history of theoretical and empirical approaches to the interaction of perception and production, focusing on the Motor Theory of Speech Perception and its later revival within the field of cognitive neuroscience. Including insights from recent advances in neuroscience methods, as well as evidence from aging and patient populations, the chapter offers an up-to-date assessment of the question of how motor and premotor cortices contribute to speech perception.