Postcentral gyrus

Postcentral gyrus
Postcentral gyrus of the human brain
Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2 of human brain. Brodmann area 3 is in red, area 1 in green, and area 2 in yellow.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Gyrus postcentralis
NeuroNames	hier-87
NeuroLex ID	Postcentral gyrus
Dorlands /Elsevier	g_13/12405446
TA	A14.1.09.128
FMA	61896
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The postcentral gyrus is a prominent gyrus in the lateral parietal lobe of the human brain. It is the location of the primary somatosensory cortex, the main sensory receptive area for the sense of touch. Like other sensory areas, there is a map of sensory space in this location, called the sensory homunculus.

The primary somatosensory cortex was initially defined from surface stimulation studies of Wilder Penfield, and parallel surface potential studies of Bard, Woolsey, and Marshall. Although initially defined to be roughly the same as Brodmann areas 3, 1 and 2, more recent work by Kaas has suggested that for homogeny with other sensory fields only area 3 should be referred to as "primary somatosensory cortex", as it receives the bulk of the thalamocortical projections from the sensory input fields.

Structure

The lateral postcentral gyrus is bounded by:

• medial longitudinal fissure medially (to the middle)
• central sulcus rostrally (in front)
• postcentral sulcus caudally (in back)
• lateral sulcus inferiorly (underneath)

The postcentral gyrus includes Brodmann areas 1, 2, and 3. Brodmann area 1 occupies the apex of the postcentral gyrus.

See also

• List of regions in the human brain

Additional images

• 
  Postcentral gyrus (animation)
• 
  Lateral surface of left cerebral hemisphere, viewed from the side.
• 
  Drawing to illustrate the relations of the brain to the skull.
• 
  Sensory homunculus of the human brain.
• 
  Lateral view of a human brain, main gyri labeled.
• 
• 
  Cerebrum. Lateral view.Deep dissection.
• 
  Cerebrum. Lateral view.Deep dissection.
• 
  Cerebrum. Lateral view.Deep dissection.
• 
  Primary cortici, including primary somatosensory cortex (labeled in purple)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Postcentral gyrus.

• ancil-1040 at NeuroNames - area 1
• ancil-1041 at NeuroNames - area 2
• ancil-1042 at NeuroNames - area 3