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Topic

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Postcentral gyrus

The postcentral gyrus is a prominent neural structure located in the parietal lobe of the human brain. It lies posterior to the central sulcus and serves as the primary somatosensory cortex, responsible for processing tactile and proprioceptive information from the body. Clinically and radiologically significant, the postcentral gyrus is essential for sensory perception and is a key landmark in neuroimaging and neurosurgery.

Synonyms

  • Primary somatosensory cortex (S1)

  • Brodmann areas 1, 2, and 3

  • Parietal gyrus posterior to central sulcus

Arterial Supply

  • Supplied mainly by branches of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), especially its superior division

  • Partial supply from the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), mainly for the medial surface

Venous Drainage

  • Drains via the superior sagittal sinus through superficial cortical veins

  • Additional drainage via the superior anastomotic vein (vein of Trolard) and inferior anastomotic vein (vein of Labbé)

Function

  • Primary region for somatosensory perception

  • Receives and processes input related to touch, pressure, temperature, pain, and proprioception from the contralateral side of the body

  • Contributes to spatial orientation and body awareness

MRI Appearance

  • T1-weighted images: Appears as a isointense cortical ribbon, well-demarcated from adjacent white matter

  • T2-weighted images: Appears hyperintense compared to white matter, allowing clear delineation of the cortical structure

  • FLAIR sequences: Cortex remains hyperintense relative to white matter, useful for detecting pathologies such as cortical edema or gliosis

CT Appearance

  • Seen as a thin, dense cortical ribbon adjacent to the central sulcus

  • Appears isodense to other cortical gray matter

  • Provides limited differentiation from surrounding structures without contrast or advanced techniques

MRI images

Postcentral gyrus MRI 3T axial image

MRI images

Postcentral gyrus MRI 3T sagittal image

CT image

Postcentral gyrus CT sag anatomy image -img-00001-00001