The temporal pole is the rounded front tip of each temporal lobe, sitting in the anterior part of the middle cranial fossa behind the greater wing of the sphenoid. It is linked to the frontal lobe and amygdala by the uncinate fasciculus. It is thought to help connect knowledge about people and objects with emotional meaning.
| Location | Anterior tip of the temporal lobe, in the front of the middle cranial fossa |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Connections |
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| Blood Supply | Middle cerebral artery (anterior temporal branch) |
Links semantic knowledge, such as the identity of familiar faces and the meaning of words, with emotional and social information.
The temporal poles are commonly bruised in head injury because they strike the sphenoid ridge. Degeneration of the temporal poles, usually the left, is a hallmark of semantic dementia, in which people lose the meaning of words and objects. Anterior temporal lobectomy for epilepsy removes the temporal pole.
A form of frontotemporal dementia with temporal pole atrophy and progressive loss of word and object meaning.
Bruising against the sphenoid ridge in head trauma, which may cause behavioural or memory problems.
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