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Related Concept Videos

Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

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The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
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Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

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The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
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Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

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The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy of the Sensory and Motor Brain Regions with Simultaneous Kinematic and EMG Monitoring During Motor Tasks
11:31

Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy of the Sensory and Motor Brain Regions with Simultaneous Kinematic and EMG Monitoring During Motor Tasks

Published on: December 5, 2014

Ipsilesional and contralesional sensorimotor function after hemispherectomy: differences between distal and proximal

H C Dijkerman1, F Vargha-Khadem, C E Polkey

  • 1Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Instituut, Utrecht University, Heidelbergbaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands. c.dijkerman@uu.nl

Neuropsychologia
|January 15, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study reveals significant ipsilesional sensorimotor impairments after hemispherectomy, challenging previous focus on contralesional deficits. Unexpectedly, no distal-proximal gradient was observed for ipsilesional function.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Clinical Neurology

Background:

  • Previous research on hemispherectomy primarily focused on contralesional sensorimotor deficits.
  • Ipsilesional impairments, particularly in distal and proximal functions, have been understudied despite their presence in patients with less extensive lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively assess ipsilesional and contralesional sensorimotor function in patients following hemispherectomy.
  • To investigate potential distal-proximal gradients in sensorimotor function.
  • To explore factors contributing to individual differences in functional outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated 12 hemispherectomy patients using tests for tapping, force production, tactile stimulation, pressure sensitivity, passive joint movement sense, and thermal sensitivity.
  • Assessed both ipsilesional (same side as lesion) and contralesional (opposite side) sensorimotor performance.
  • Correlated functional outcomes with age at onset of brain damage and presence of abnormalities in remaining brain structures.

Main Results:

  • Significant ipsilesional sensorimotor impairments were observed across most tests, except for passive joint movement sense.
  • No significant ipsilesional distal-proximal gradient was found.
  • Contralesional impairments showed a distal-proximal gradient, with distal function being more affected, except for thermal sensitivity.
  • Age at onset correlated with passive joint movement sense; remaining brain abnormalities affected tapping performance.

Conclusions:

  • Hemispherectomy leads to widespread ipsilesional sensorimotor deficits, indicating complex effects beyond the removal of brain tissue.
  • The absence of an ipsilesional distal-proximal gradient suggests a different pattern of impairment compared to contralesional function.
  • Contralesional sensorimotor deficits exhibit a distal-proximal gradient, consistent with known motor pathway organization.