Functional Areas of Cerebral Cortex

B

Primary Somatosensory cortex

Sensory: in each postcentral gyrus of each parietal lobe; receives sensory signals for touch, proprioception, pain, and temp

H

Primary auditory cortex

Sensory: superior part of temporal lobe near lateral cerebral sulcus; receives impulses from auditory receptors

2

Primary gustatory cortex:

Sensory: in insula; receives impulses when taste buds stimulated

F

Primary visual cortex

Sensory: posterior occipital lobe; receives signals from thalamus when retina is stimulated

Primary olfactory cortex

Sensory: medial side of each temporal lobe; receives impulses when olfactory receptors in nose stimulated

A

Primary motor cortex

Motor: in precentral gyrus of each frontal lobe; initiates (sends) impulses to skeletal muscles in body

C

Somatosensory association area

processes multi-sensory info and allows you to recognize objects by touch

K

Motor association area

coordinates complex movements by planning and organizing motor actions

I

Auditory association area

processes sound in detail; recognize voices, identify tone

Gustatory association area

process and interpret taste info; identify taste qualities

G

Visual association area

process visual info; recognize familiar objects/faces

1

Olfactory association area

identify different odors; link them to memories or emotions through limbic system

E

Wernicke’s area

helps understand speech and using correct words to express thoughts; if not, they can’t understand the speech they produce

J

Broca’s area

Helps in movements physically required to produce speech; if not they can’t produce speech