Functional Localization of the Cerebral Cortex

Brodmanns Classification System

Voluntary eye movements

Voluntary motor

Somatic sensory Angular gyrus

Motor speech, grammar & phonology Visual area

Auditory area

Overview: Areas of the Cerebral Cortex

A. Sensory areas. B. Association areas. C. Motor areas. D. Other cortical areas of functional significance.

Sensorimotor hierarchy
1ry sensory area
(Perception)

2ry sensory area

(association area)
(Meaning of the stimulus)

Main Association (Wernikes area) & prefrontal cortex (PFC)

(Integration)

1ry motor area (area 4)

(Execution of movement)

Premotor area (area 6)

(Plan of movement)

Right vs. Left Hemispheres

Lateralization: asymmetrical distribution of function; emerges during fetal life.
Ex: Hand preferences (handedness).

- > 90% of population is right handed; so, has left dominant hemisphere. - Dominance become fixed only after the 1st decade. - Corpus callosum transports information received in one hemisphere to the other half.

General distribution of function:

Right hemisphere: Non-verbal perceptual tasks, visual and spatial perception, e.g., recognition of faces, & musical and artistic tasks.
Left hemisphere: Language, speech, writing & analytical functions.

Right vs. Left Hemispheres

1. Occipital lobe
Lateral view

1ry visual area

(visual Sensory area)
(area 17)

2ry visual area

(visual Association area) (areas 18,19)
Medial view

Hemianopia

Effect of lesion of the Rt. visual cortex

Functional Areas of the Occipital Lobe

Area
1ry. visual area (visual sensory area)
(area 17)

Site

Function

Effect of lesion
Homonymous hemianopia.

On each side of - Perception of pictures. the calcarine - Input from thalamus S.& extends (Lateral Geniculate slightly laterally. Body = L.G.B.). - Project to the visual association area. Around area 17 - Understanding the & rest of the meaning & importance occipital lobe. of the pictures seen. - Color & movement vision. - Stereoscopic depths.

2ry. visual area (visual association area)

(area 18,19)

Inability to know the meaning of the pictures seen

(word blindness, = visual agnosia).

2. Temporal lobe
Lateral view

1ry auditory area

(Auditory Sensory area)
(areas 41,42)

2ry auditory area

(Auditory Association area)
(areas 22)

Temporal lobe (cont.)

Medial view

Facial recognition area

3. Parietal lobe
1ry somesthetic area
(area 3,1,2)
Lateral view

5, 7 40 39

Somesthetic Association area

(area 5,7)

Wernikes area Sensory speech center

(area 39,40)

Sensory Leg area

Sensory cortex
lies on the medial surface (paracentral lobule)

Lateral

Medial

Functional Areas of the Temporal Lobe

Area
(auditory sensory area) (area 41,42)

Site
temporal g. (Heschls g.).

Function
- Perception of sounds. - Input from thalamus (Medial Geniculate Body =M.G.B.) Understanding the meaning & importance of sounds.

Effect of lesion
Incomplete (slight) bilateral deafness.

1ry. auditory area Middle of the sup.

2ry. auditory area (auditory

association area (area 22)

The rest of the sup. temporal g.

Inability to know the meaning of sounds (word deafness, = auditory agnosia). Difficulty in recognizing faces (prospagnosia).

Facial recognition area Part of Wernikes area

(sensory speech center)

Parahippocampal g. Recognizing people by faces.

See parietal lobe

(area 39,40)

1ry somesthetic area (area 3, 1, 2)

Representation:
The opposite half of body is represented upside-down (below for head & neck, then U.L. and trunk).
Taste area lies in the lower end of the postcentral g. & insula.

Functional Areas of the Parietal lobe

Area
Primary somaethetic area
(area 3,1,2)

Site
Postcentral g. + paracentral lobule (sensory leg area)

Function
- Proprioceptive sensations. - Cutaneous sensations. - Vestibular sensation.
(from opposite of body)

Effect of lesion
Contralateral hemiansthesia. (pain is slightly affected) - Difficulty in understanding of the meaning of various sensory information (= agnosia). - Asteriognosis. Receptive (sensory aphasia).

Somethetic association area

(area 5,7)

Superior parietal lobule.

- Understanding and integrating various sensory information.

- Center of Steriognosis.

Wernikes area (sensory

speech center)

(area 39,40)

- Inf. parietal lobule. - Post. parts of middle & inf. temporal gyri. (Only in the dominant hemisphere).

- Understanding of spoken (auditory)& written (visual) language. - Integration of different senses that allows for understanding a single concept. Brocas area.

1. Precentral area

2.

4. Frontal lobe
Frontal eye field
- Area 8 - Part of area 6

Premotor area (area 6) & supplementary motor area 1ry motor area
(area 4)

Prefrontal Cortex
(PFC)

Motor speech center

(area 44,45)

Brocas area

Motor Homunculus Motor Leg area

lies on the medial surface (paracentral lobule)

(area 4)

Supplementary motor cortex

(area 6)

It is a map of body

movements Not muscles

Lateral

Medial

1. 1ry motor cortex (area 4)

Representation:
- The opposite half of body is
represented upside-down (below for movements of head & neck, then U.L. and trunk)
Movements of knees, legs, toes, anal & visceral sphincters are in the paracentral lobule (= leg area). The movement, NOT the muscles, are represented. Highly skilled movements occupy wider areas.

Functional Areas of the Frontal Lobe

Area
1ry motor area (area 4)

Site
Precentral g. + paracentral lobule (leg area). In front of area 4.

Function
Initiate voluntary skillful movements (pyramidal tract), except eye. - Planning of movement design area 4. - Main extra-pyramidal area for posture & muscle tone. Planning complex sequence of movements & their coordination in both hands. Initiate voluntary eye movements to the opposite side (conjugate lateral movements). Speech production by projection to area 4 (larynx, tongue, lips (vocalization).

Effect of lesion
Contralateral hemiplegia (except eye).

Premotor area (area 6)

- Increased muscle tone & reflexes. - Disturbed skillful movements. - Reappearance of grasp reflex. Impaired selection of a particular movement sequence.

Supplementary motor cortex Frontal eye field (area 8) Brocas area

(motor speech center)

Medial surface, of area 6

In front of area 6

- Inability to direct eye to the opposite side. - Deviation of both eyes to the affected side. Expressive (motor aphasia) Inability to express language.

(area 44,45)

Triangular part of inf. frontal g. (dominant hemisphere)

Anatomy of Speech

Speech
1- Words are seen in the visual cortex, or heard in the auditory cortex. 2- Information concerning the word is interpreted in Wernikes area.

3- Information from Wernikes area is transferred to Brocas area.

4- Information is transferred from the Brocas area to the 1ry motor area for vocalization. Speech areas normally in the dominant hemisphere. Wernikes area: sensory speech center.

Brocas area: Motor speech center.

Aphasia: absent or defective speech or language comprehension. Wernikes aphasia: = (sensory, receptive aphasia) no comprehension & failure
to convey meaning.

Brocas aphasia: = expressive or motor aphasia.

Prefrontal Cortex (pfc)

It is also called Frontal association area.

Most of the medial frontal g. Orbital part of the inferior surface.

Reminder of the frontal lobe in the lateral surface.

Prefrontal Cortex (pfc)

Function:

HIGHER MENTAL FUNCTIONS

- Intellectual functions, thinking, solving problems, judgment & foresight & framing of personality. - Control of social behavior. - Short-term memory. - Controls our emotions, mood & behavior. - Inhibits impulsive actions of the basal ganglia. - Control of autonomic (visceral) activities.

Lesion: (traumatic, tumors, lobectomy & ADD) - short attention span & loss of recent memory. - becomes careless of his appearance (behavior). - mood changes (emotionally labile). - loss of social inhibition & impulsive responses.

Other Cortical Areas

Area
Taste area Vestibular area

Site
- Lower end of the postcentral g. - Insula. - Postcentral g.

Function
Taste (gustatory sensation). Sensation of position & movements of the head in space. - Coordination of the movements for speech. - Taste sensation. Smell sensation.

Insula

In the floor of the lateral s.

Olfaction

- 1ry olfactory area (periamygdaloid & prepiriform areas). - 2ry olfactory area.

Limbic lobe
(cortical part of the limbic system).

Cingulate g. Isthmus of limbic lobe. Parahippocampal gyrus. Uncus.

- Short-term memory. - Control of endocrine system. - Reactions of fear, anger& emotions associated with sexual behaviors.

Taste area
Vestibular area

Insula

Olfactory area

1. Cingulate g.

4. Uncus

2. Isthmus of limbic lobe

3. Parahippocampal g.

Limbic lobe