Final answer:
The parietal lobe is key for processing somatosensation, which includes touch, pain, and temperature sensations, and proprioception, the sense of body position. It contains a somatosensory map and is involved in speech, reading, and arithmetic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The parietal lobe, located at the top of the brain, plays a crucial role in integrating sensory information from various parts of the body, particularly involving somatosensation and proprioception. Somatosensation refers to the processing of touch sensations, such as pressure, pain, heat, and cold. Proprioception is our sense of body orientation and position in space. Within the parietal lobe, there exists a somatosensory map, similar to the motor cortex, which corresponds to the distribution and processing of sensory information from the entire body. This lobe is also involved in other important functions like speech and reading.
Neurons in the parietal lobe are involved in speech and reading comprehension. Furthermore, it assists in complex processes like language and arithmetic by interpreting tactile information and helping us understand our corporeal relationship with the external environment.