Final answer:
Areas of the somatosensory cortex corresponding to parts of the body with a high density of sensory receptors are larger than those representing parts with fewer receptors. This somatotopic arrangement allows for greater sensitivity and finer sensory discrimination in those highly innervated areas like the fingers, as opposed to areas like the back.
Step-by-step explanation:
The consequence of having some parts of the body with more receptors than others in terms of cortical area is related to the somatosensory cortex and its representation of different body parts. Areas of the cortex that process signals from skin with a dense concentration of sensory receptors tend to be larger than those corresponding to areas with fewer sensory receptors. This is due to the cerebral cortex's somatotopic organization, where the sensory homunculus serves as a map reflecting this disparity in the allocation of cortical space.
For instance, the fingers have more receptors and thus occupy a larger cortical area than the toes, which results in greater sensitivity and spatial resolution in those highly innervated areas. In contrast, skin areas less densely innervated, like the back or legs, are represented by proportionally smaller cortical areas. This mapping directly affects our sensory perception and processing capabilities.