The primary somatosensory cortex (Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2) occupies the postcentral gyrus and posterior paracentral lobule. It receives touch, vibration, position sense, pain and temperature from the opposite side of the body through the thalamus. Like the motor cortex, it holds a body map, the sensory homunculus, with large areas for the lips, tongue and fingers.
| Location | Postcentral gyrus and posterior paracentral lobule of the parietal lobe |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Connections | |
| Blood Supply | Middle cerebral artery; Anterior cerebral artery (leg area) |
Locates and analyses body sensation from the opposite side, including touch, texture, vibration, limb position, pain and temperature.
Damage leaves basic pain and temperature sensation partly preserved but impairs localisation, two-point discrimination, position sense and recognition of objects by touch. Sensory seizures here produce tingling that may spread along the body map. Phantom limb sensations are linked to reorganisation of this map after amputation.
Impaired discriminative sensation, position sense and stereognosis on the opposite side.
Pain felt in a missing limb, linked to reorganisation of the somatosensory map.
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