Precentral gyrus
Precentral gyrus
The Precentral gyrus (pronunciation: /priːˈsɛntrəl ˈdʒaɪrəs/), also known as the primary motor cortex, is a region in the brain that plays a key role in motor function. It is located in the frontal lobe of the brain, anterior to the central sulcus.
Etymology
The term "Precentral gyrus" is derived from its location in the brain. "Pre" means before, and "central" refers to the central sulcus, a prominent landmark in the brain. "Gyrus" is a term used in neuroanatomy to describe the ridges between the folds in the brain.
Function
The Precentral gyrus is responsible for the voluntary control of skeletal muscles. Each part of this gyrus corresponds to different parts of the body, a concept known as the motor homunculus. The neurons in the Precentral gyrus send signals down the spinal cord to the muscles, controlling their movement.
Related Terms
- Motor cortex: The part of the brain where nerve impulses originate that initiate voluntary muscular activity.
- Central sulcus: A prominent landmark in the brain, separating the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.
- Frontal lobe: The part of the brain associated with motor function, problem solving, spontaneity, memory, language, initiation, judgement, impulse control, and social and sexual behavior.
- Motor homunculus: A representation of the human body in the brain. It is a neurological "map" of the anatomical divisions of the body.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Precentral gyrus
- Wikipedia's article - Precentral gyrus
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski