This lecture focused on the primary sensory and motor areas of the cerebral cortex. Here’s a summary of the key points:
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Location:
- The brain is divided into two hemispheres (left and right).
- The lecture focused on the left hemisphere for illustration.
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Primary Motor Cortex (M1):
- Located in the frontal lobe, in a strip anterior to the central sulcus.
- Controls voluntary movements on the opposite side of the body.
- For example, the left M1 controls the right hand.
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Primary Somatosensory Cortex (S1):
- Located posterior to the central sulcus in the parietal lobe.
- Receives sensory information from the opposite side of the body.
- For example, the left S1 receives touch information from the right hand.
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Special Cases:
- Auditory Cortex (A1): Located in the temporal lobe.
- Receives input from both ears, with a slight bias towards the opposite ear.
- Visual Cortex(V1): Located mostly on the medial surface of the occipital lobe.
- Receives information from the opposite visual field.
- So, the left visual cortex sees everything on the right side of the world, regardless of which eye it originates from.
- Auditory Cortex (A1): Located in the temporal lobe.
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Hemispheric Specialization:
- The sensory and motor cortices are mostly contra-lateralized.
- This means one hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body.
- However, there are exceptions for auditory and visual processing.
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Language Lateralization:
- Language processing is primarily located in the left hemisphere.
- Damage to the left hemisphere can lead to aphasia, a language disorder.
Additional Notes:
- The lecture mentions Brodmann areas for each region, but doesn’t go into detail. You can find more information about these Brodmann areas in resources on cortical organization.