SOMATIC SENSORY CORTEX STRUCTURE
(Does it exist in both hemispheres?
YES...SEE BELOW
The primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and the secondary somatosensory cortex
(S2) are in the parietal lobe of the brain.
The primary somatosensory cortex is found just behind the central sulcus and
receives sensory information from the VPL of the thalamus via the internal
capsule and corona radiata. Often referred to as the postcentral gyrus, this
area receives the sensory input from specific areas of the body, correlating to
specific regions of the contralateral postcentral gyrus. This is known as
somatotopy and is used to construct maps such as the sensory homunculus, as
described in further detail below. Much like the rest of the neocortex, each
primary cortex os paired association cortices to help interpret and assess the
initial sensory information delivered. A larger association cortex is needed to
assess more complex input.
The S2 region helps to process the sensory information delivered to S1.
The somatosensory cortex is organized into six layers, much like the rest of the
neocortex.