Question

The somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex are organized __________. That is, each part of the cortex corresponds to the specific part of the body that it governs.

Answer 1

The somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex are organized topographically, with each part corresponding to a specific part of the body. The primary motor cortex has a motor homunculus, mapping different regions of the cortex to different muscles in the body, with more space allocated to muscles that perform fine movements.

Step-by-step explanation:

The somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex are organized topographically. That is, each part of the cortex corresponds to the specific part of the body that it governs. The primary motor cortex has a topographical map of the body, known as the motor homunculus, where different regions of the cortex correspond to different muscles in the body. This mapping is exaggerated, with more cortical space allocated to muscles that perform fine, agile movements, such as those in the fingers and lower face.