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The processing of semantically complex speech is a demanding task which can be facilitated by speech-associated arm and hand gestures. However, the role of age concerning the perception of semantic complexity and the influence of gestures in this context remains unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate if age-related differences are already present in early adulthood during the processing of semantic complexity and gestures. To this end, we analyzed fMRI images of a sample of 38 young and middle-aged participants (age-range: 19–55). They had the task to listen and to watch a narrative. The narrative contained segments varying in the degree of semantic complexity, and they were spontaneously accompanied by gestures. The semantic complexity of the story was measured by the idea density. Consistent with previous findings in young adults, we observed increased activation for passages with …