POSTERIOR PARIETAL Meaning and
Definition
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The term "posterior parietal" refers to a specific region in the brain, which is located towards the back (posterior) and top (parietal) of the cerebral cortex. It is commonly referred to as the posterior parietal cortex. The posterior parietal cortex is found in both the left and right hemispheres of the brain and is positioned behind the central sulcus, which is a deep groove that separates the frontal and parietal lobes.
This area of the brain is responsible for integrating and processing sensory and motor information from various parts of the body. It plays a crucial role in spatial awareness, perception, attention, memory, and coordination of movements. The posterior parietal cortex receives input from multiple sensory modalities, including touch, vision, and hearing, and combines this information to create a coherent representation of the external world.
This region is closely involved in cognitive functions such as spatial cognition, visual-spatial processing, object recognition, visual attention, and the planning and execution of movements. It also contributes to higher-level cognitive processes like decision-making, problem-solving, and language comprehension.
Damage or dysfunction to the posterior parietal cortex can result in various neurological disorders, such as spatial neglect, hemispatial neglect, apraxia, and difficulties with hand-eye coordination and spatial orientation.
In summary, the posterior parietal region refers to a specific area of the brain that is vital for the integration of sensory and motor information, spatial perception, attention, memory, and coordination. It is involved in various cognitive processes and contributes to our understanding of the external world.
Etymology of POSTERIOR PARIETAL
The word "posterior parietal" is derived from Latin and is formed by combining two terms:
1. "Posterior": It comes from the Latin word "posterius", which means "behind" or "toward the back". The term is a combination of "post" (meaning "after" or "behind") and "-erius" (a suffix denoting comparative degrees).
2. "Parietal": It is derived from the Latin word "parietalis", which means "of a wall" or "relating to a wall". It is derived from the Latin noun "paries" (meaning "wall").
In the context of anatomy, the term "posterior parietal" refers to the region of the brain located towards the back of the parietal lobe.
