Physiology 3120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Cortical Column, Muscle Spindle, Dura Mater
Document Summary
Say eyes are closed and someone took an object and ran it down arm. Can tell smooth/rough, hot/cold, where object started and which direction it went. Think about which receptor signaled the movement of object. No receptor for movement but you know there is processing because the brain was sent a signal telling it what direction the object went. Have a map of body that tells brain that object moved down arm because stimulation came from receptors from starting point and then at next position and next position. Not evident in a single receptor so need somatosensory cortex processes all the info received to tell you that the object went down arm. Somatotopic representation of the body = body map. Leg is in most medial (right-hand side of gyrus) and tongue is in most lateral (left-hand side of gyrus) Neurons stimulated in certain body part send signal to the area in the post central gyrus corresponding to that body part.