The temporal lobe lies below the lateral sulcus, sitting in the middle cranial fossa. Its outer surface carries the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri, and its medial part contains the hippocampus, amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus. It handles hearing, language comprehension, memory and object recognition.
| Location | Below the lateral sulcus in the middle cranial fossa, in front of the occipital lobe |
|---|---|
| Parts | |
| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Middle cerebral artery; Posterior cerebral artery; Anterior choroidal artery |
Processes sound and spoken language, forms new long-term memories, recognises faces and objects, and contributes to emotion through the amygdala.
Temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common focal epilepsy in adults, often linked to hippocampal sclerosis, and typically causes rising stomach sensations, déjà vu and automatisms. Dominant temporal lesions cause receptive (Wernicke) aphasia, while medial temporal damage on both sides causes severe memory loss. Lesions of Meyer's loop in the temporal lobe give an upper quadrant visual field defect.
Focal seizures arising from the medial or lateral temporal lobe, often with an aura, staring and automatisms.
Viral infection with a strong preference for the medial temporal and orbitofrontal regions, causing fever, confusion and seizures.
Bruising of the temporal poles against the sphenoid ridge in head injury.
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