What is the function of the cerebral sulci?

Answer 1

The central sulcus is a deep groove (or furrow) in the brain that separates the frontal and parietal lobes of the cerebrum. The frontal lobe is known as the motor cotrex and the parietal lobe is known as the sensory cortex. the central sulcus has a 'map' of the human body on each side that corresponds to the other side. So when the sensory part is stimulated, its associated motor part is right across the sulcus. The model of the human body in relation to how many nerves are associated with each body part is called a homonculus and you can see one in one of the links below:

Answer 2

It allows the brain to have more SURFACE area, or CORTEX, which is where the brain's HIGHER FUNCTIONS, including memory, occur.

From Wikipedia, "In neuroanatomy, a sulcus (Latin: "furrow", pl. sulci) is a depression or fissure in the surface of the brain. It surrounds the gyri, creating the characteristic WRINKLED appearance of the brain in humans and other large mammals" (I ADDED the word "wrinkled", here, to better explain how the sulci yield a larger surface area. The effect is like crumpling a piece of paper, such that the crumpled paper, applied onto a surface, presents a larger surface AREA than the surface it's applied over.)

The previous answer here, "It helps store memories", although relevant, is too simplistic; again from Wikipedia, and relating to the fact that the sulci allow the brain to have more surface area, or Cortex,

"The cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness."

Answer 3

"Precentral sulcus" is not a unique anatomical feature. It's a general term for a fissure or depression that lies anterior to another "central" fissure or depression. I'm going to assume you're referring to the anatomy and physiology of the brain, though honestly you could be referring to several organ systems.

The brain is a relatively homogeneous organ. While functional brain mappings tend to be similar between individuals, there is no inherent property of any part of the brain that makes it particularly suited to do one thing and not another. There is no anatomical reason why the "motor cortex" is more suited for motor control than any other part of the brain. That the motor cortex is the typical locus of motor activity in human brains is just a tendency, not a requirement. A person who was born without this region of the brain would likely have no difficulty learning or performing motor skills.

Functionally, it is merely a part of the frontal cortex. It does nothing special by comparison to the tissue around it. Structurally, it defines the anterior border of the primary motor cortex, while the central sulcus defines the posterior border of it and also of the frontal lobe itself. It is the dividing line between the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex (or more broadly, BA6). Sulci in the brain are mostly of interest for their use as physical landmarks, and not particularly due to any special physiological function.

Answer 4

I reallydon't know what it is but since i don't know can someone please answer this question so that i can get a good grade on my Science project please i am 11 in middle school so can someone please help me out on this and oh this is really kind of fun, i love typing so i was like what the heck just do it and i am doing it so can someone please write the answer down and the same thing for "postcenteral gyrus". Thankyou and i will look soon for it so hopefully there will be an answer for both of my questions and thank you again and have a good day but remember i except this soon!!!

Answer 5

Sulci in itself, as a surface feature of the brain, serves no purpose. However it is a symbol of the high degree of folding in the brain, which serves to increase the total surface area of the brain when the total volume of the skull is limited.