Somatotopic arrangement
Somatotopic arrangement
Somatotopic arrangement (pronunciation: so-ma-to-to-pic ar-ran-ge-ment) is a fundamental organizational principle in the nervous system where spatially distinctive parts of the body are systematically mapped onto specific areas of the brain and spinal cord. This concept is also known as somatotopy.
Etymology
The term "somatotopic" is derived from the Greek words "soma" meaning body and "topos" meaning place. Thus, it refers to the spatial distribution of body parts in the brain and spinal cord.
Description
In the somatotopic arrangement, each part of the body is represented in a specific area of the brain or spinal cord. This is most evident in the primary motor cortex and the primary somatosensory cortex, where neurons are arranged in a manner that reflects the arrangement of the body parts they are associated with. For example, neurons controlling the hand are adjacent to neurons controlling the arm, and so on. This arrangement is often depicted as a distorted human figure known as the homunculus.
Related Terms
- Homunculus: A representation of the human body in the brain, distorted in proportion to the amount of the cortex dedicated to each part.
- Cortical homunculus: A physical representation of the human body, located within the brain, in the postcentral gyrus and the precentral gyrus.
- Penfield's homunculus: A map of the body within the brain, created by neurosurgeon Wilden Penfield.
- Motor cortex: The region of the cerebral cortex involved in the planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements.
- Somatosensory cortex: A part of the brain that processes sensory input from the body.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Somatotopic arrangement
- Wikipedia's article - Somatotopic arrangement
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