Superior parietal lobule

Superior parietal lobule is an important gyrus located on the lateral side of the parietal lobe. It is separated from the inferior parietal lobule by a horizontal sulcus called the intraparietal sulcus. The superior parietal lobule is bordered at the front by the upper part of postcentral sulcus, at the bottom by the intraparietal sulcus, and at the back by the parieto-occipital sulcus (or the imaginary line connecting the parieto-occipital sulcus and the pre-occipital notch).

The superior parietal lobule (a.k.a. the broadband's area 5 and 7) contains the somesthetic unimodal sensory association area. It has extensive connections with other sensory areas in the cortex. Its main function is to receive and integrate sensory input from different modalities. Additionally, it plays a role in a higher-level cognitive process called stereognosis, which enables the recognition of objects using touch without relying on vision.

If the superior parietal lobule in the left (dominant) parietal lobe is damaged, it can lead to a condition called astereognosis, where the individual struggles to recognize objects through touch. In addition, sensory apraxia can be seen as well. Conversely, damage to the same region on the right (non-dominant) side of the parietal lobe can result in a condition known as hemineglect syndrome. In this syndrome, there is a lack of awareness of the left side of the body and the objects in the left visual field.