Primary somatosensory cortex
Primary Somatosensory Cortex
The Primary Somatosensory Cortex (pronunciation: pri-ma-ry so-ma-to-sen-so-ry kor-tex) is a region of the Brain that plays a significant role in processing somatosensory information. It is also known as S1 or Area 3b.
Etymology
The term "Primary Somatosensory Cortex" is derived from the Latin words "primus" meaning first, "somatus" meaning body, and "sensus" meaning sense. The term "cortex" comes from the Latin word for "bark" or "rind". This is because the cortex is the outermost layer of the brain.
Function
The Primary Somatosensory Cortex is responsible for processing sensory information from the body. This includes touch, temperature, pain, and proprioception (the sense of body position). It receives information from the Thalamus, which relays sensory information from the peripheral nervous system to the brain.
Anatomy
The Primary Somatosensory Cortex is located in the postcentral gyrus of the Parietal Lobe. It is organized in a somatotopic manner, meaning that specific areas of the cortex correspond to specific parts of the body. This is often referred to as the "sensory homunculus".
Related Terms
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