The parietal cortex is an important part of the brain responsible for integrating sensations, language comprehension, mathematical ability, and spatial awareness. It can be affected by strokes, tumors, and seizures. Blood flow interruptions can cause a stroke, while tumors and injuries can disrupt function and cause neurological symptoms.
The parietal cortex is the outer surface of the parietal lobe, which is a section of the human brain. It is an important structure because it contains cell bodies of neurons, which are brain cells important in controlling human body function. The role of the parietal lobe includes integrating sensations gathered from the body, helping humans understand language, enabling people to perform complex mathematical problems, and giving humans a sense of their position in the world around them. A variety of disease processes including strokes, seizures, and tumors can affect this region of the brain.
Human brains are commonly divided into a number of different sections. The higher aspect of the brain is the cerebrum, which controls higher order brain function. Below the cerebrum are the cerebellum and brainstem, responsible for more primitive functions such as balance, breathing and heart rate control. The brain is further divided into the frontal lobes, parietal lobes and occipital lobes. There are two symmetrical parietal lobes on each side of the brain and they are located on the upper back surface of the brain, behind the frontal lobes but in front of the occipital lobes.
A number of brain functions can be attributed to the parietal cortex. One of the most important parts of the cortex is the postcentral gyrus, also known as the primary somatosensory cortex, which is important for the integration and interpretation of tactile, visual, auditory and other stimuli received from different parts of the human body. The parietal cortex also plays a vital role in helping humans understand language, perform mathematical calculations, and appreciate the spatial arrangement of different objects in the environment.
The brain tissue contained in the parietal cortex receives blood from portions of the middle cerebral artery, which is an important part of the brain’s circulatory system. The vascular supply of the parietal cortex is of clinical importance because interruptions of blood flow to the parietal cortex, either due to an artery blockage or a lesion in the artery, can deprive the region of substances necessary for survival. When blood flow to a region of the brain is suddenly cut off, this condition is called a stroke.
Other pathological conditions can also affect the parietal cortex. A number of tumors can develop in the region, compressing the parietal brain tissue and disrupting its function. Seizures, which are abnormal electrical discharges, can originate in the region, causing a variety of neurological problems in affected patients. Injury to the parietal lobe can cause a variety of symptoms, including inability to recognize objects based on touch sensation alone, lack of awareness of one side of the body, and inability to name objects correctly.
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