Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
11:29
Anteromesial Temporal Lobectomy for Medically Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: An Operative Study
Published on: August 15, 2025
Superior temporal sulcus--It's my area: or is it?
1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. grit.hein@gmail.com
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|May 7, 2008
Summary
The superior temporal sulcus (STS) is a versatile brain region. Its function depends on network connections, not strict subdivisions, supporting diverse cognitive tasks like speech and face processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- The superior temporal sulcus (STS) is implicated in various cognitive functions, including theory of mind, audiovisual integration, biological motion perception, speech processing, and face processing.
- Its role has been debated, with different research areas claiming it as a core region for their specific interests.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies on STS activation foci.
- To investigate the functional differentiation and connectivity of the STS across different cognitive domains.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of fMRI studies focusing on theory of mind, audiovisual integration, motion processing, speech processing, and face processing.
- Examination of activation patterns within the anterior and posterior STS.
Main Results:
- A differentiation was observed, with the anterior STS primarily involved in speech processing.
- The posterior STS was recruited across multiple cognitive demands, arguing against strict functional subdivisions.
- STS function appears to vary based on network coactivations with frontal and medial-temporal regions.
Conclusions:
- The STS is not rigidly subdivided but supports diverse cognitive operations through context-dependent network connectivity.
- Understanding STS function requires considering its dynamic interactions within larger brain networks.
- Network connectivity analysis is crucial for neuroimaging studies of the STS.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
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.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
01:26Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview I
The main and largest component of the human brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum consists of two main parts: the cerebral cortex, an outer layer with wrinkles or folds known as gyri and shallow grooves called sulci, and a deeper region beneath it. The cerebrum divides into two distinct hemispheres and contains five different lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, and insula. The central sulcus separates the frontal and parietal lobes and two functionally important gyri — the...
01:14Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
01:22Lobes of the Cerebrum
The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
01:23Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
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...