Postcentral gyrus

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Postcentral gyrus
Postcentral gyrus.png
Postcentral gyrus of the human brain
Ba1 2 3.png
Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2 of human brain. Brodmann area 3 is in red, area 1 in green, and area 2 in yellow.
Details
System Somatosensory system
Location Parietal lobe
Artery Middle cerebral artery
Function Primary somatosensory cortex
Identifiers
Latin gyrus postcentralis
NeuroNames 105
NeuroLex ID birnlex_1070
TA98 A14.1.09.128
TA2 5469
FMA 61896
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

In neuroanatomy, the postcentral gyrus is a prominent gyrus in the lateral parietal lobe of the human brain. It is the location of the primary somatosensory cortex, the main sensory receptive area for the sense of touch. Like other sensory areas, there is a map of sensory space in this location, called the sensory homunculus .

Contents

The primary somatosensory cortex was initially defined from surface stimulation studies of Wilder Penfield, and parallel surface potential studies of Bard, Woolsey, and Marshall. Although initially defined to be roughly the same as Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2, more recent work by Kaas has suggested that for homogeny with other sensory fields only area 3 should be referred to as "primary somatosensory cortex", as it receives the bulk of the thalamocortical projections from the sensory input fields[ citation needed ].

Structure

The lateral postcentral gyrus is bounded by:

The postcentral gyrus includes Brodmann areas 1, 2, and 3. Brodmann area 1 occupies the apex of the postcentral gyrus.

See also

Additional images

Related Research Articles

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A Brodmann area is a region of the cerebral cortex, in the human or other primate brain, defined by its cytoarchitecture, or histological structure and organization of cells. The concept was first introduced by the German anatomist Korbinian Brodmann in the early 20th century. Brodmann mapped the human brain based on the varied cellular structure across the cortex and identified 52 distinct regions, which he numbered 1 to 52. These regions, or Brodmann areas, correspond with diverse functions including sensation, motor control, and cognition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parietal lobe</span> Part of the brain responsible for sensory input and some language processing

The parietal lobe is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The parietal lobe is positioned above the temporal lobe and behind the frontal lobe and central sulcus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Precuneus</span> Region of the parietal lobe of the brain

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brodmann area 6</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brodmann area 10</span> Brain area

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brodmann area 7</span> Brain area

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brodmann area 40</span> Part of the parietal cortex in the human brain

Brodmann area 40 (BA40) is part of the parietal cortex in the human brain. The inferior part of BA40 is in the area of the supramarginal gyrus, which lies at the posterior end of the lateral fissure, in the inferior lateral part of the parietal lobe.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primary somatosensory cortex</span> Region of the brain which processes touch

In neuroanatomy, the primary somatosensory cortex is located in the postcentral gyrus of the brain's parietal lobe, and is part of the somatosensory system. It was initially defined from surface stimulation studies of Wilder Penfield, and parallel surface potential studies of Bard, Woolsey, and Marshall. Although initially defined to be roughly the same as Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2, more recent work by Kaas has suggested that for homogeny with other sensory fields only area 3 should be referred to as "primary somatosensory cortex", as it receives the bulk of the thalamocortical projections from the sensory input fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angular gyrus</span> Gyrus of the parietal lobe of the brain

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Precentral gyrus</span> Motor gyrus of the posterior frontal lobe of the brain

The precentral gyrus is a prominent gyrus on the surface of the posterior frontal lobe of the brain. It is the site of the primary motor cortex that in humans is cytoarchitecturally defined as Brodmann area 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lobes of the brain</span> Parts of the cerebrum

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brodmann area 43</span> Brain area

Brodmann area 43, the subcentral area, is a structurally distinct area of the cerebral cortex defined on the basis of cytoarchitecture. Along with Brodmann Area 1, 2, and 3, Brodmann area 43 is a subdivision of the postcentral region of the brain, suggesting a somatosensory function. The histological structure of Area 43 was initially described by Korbinian Brodmann, but it was not labeled on his map of cortical areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle temporal gyrus</span> One of three gyri of the temporal lobe of the brain

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior parietal lobule</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inferior parietal lobule</span> Portion of the parietal lobe of the brain

The inferior parietal lobule lies below the horizontal portion of the intraparietal sulcus, and behind the lower part of the postcentral sulcus. Also known as Geschwind's territory after Norman Geschwind, an American neurologist, who in the early 1960s recognised its importance. It is a part of the parietal lobe.