Why the Brain’s Connections to the Body Are Crisscrossed

Why the Brain’s Connections to the Body Are Crisscrossed

5/17/2023

link

https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-the-brains-connections-to-the-body-are-crisscrossed-20230419/

summary

This article discusses the phenomenon called somatotopy, which refers to the spatial organization of the brain's connections to the body. It explains how the brain's connections to the body are crisscrossed, meaning that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice versa. The article delves into the historical understanding of somatotopy and how it was discovered through experiments and observations. It explores the role of the corpus callosum, which connects the two hemispheres of the brain, in coordinating the body's movements. Additionally, it discusses the potential implications of somatotopy for understanding conditions such as phantom limb syndrome. Overall, the article provides insights into the fascinating organization of the brain's connections to the body.

tags

neuroscience ꞏ brain-body connection ꞏ neural pathways ꞏ sensory systems ꞏ brain development ꞏ motor control ꞏ somatosensory cortex ꞏ central nervous system ꞏ peripheral nervous system ꞏ brain mapping ꞏ brain plasticity ꞏ neural circuits ꞏ neural cross-talk ꞏ sensory integration ꞏ motor coordination ꞏ sensory processing ꞏ body representation ꞏ brain wiring ꞏ neural connectivity ꞏ neural networks ꞏ brain organization ꞏ neural development ꞏ brain function ꞏ neural coding ꞏ motor planning ꞏ body awareness ꞏ sensory perception ꞏ motor learning ꞏ proprioception ꞏ brain science ꞏ brain-body interaction ꞏ neural synchronization ꞏ brain connectivity ꞏ brain research ꞏ body schema ꞏ brain circuitry ꞏ neural communication ꞏ brain architecture ꞏ sensory feedback ꞏ somatic mapping ꞏ neural plasticity