Last edited: 8/14/2021

1. TEMPORAL LOBE
Neurology | Cerebrum: Temporal Lobe Anatomy & Function Medical Editor: Camilla E. Fiorucci
OUTLINE

(B) AUDITORY ASSOCIATION CORTEX

I) BOUNDARIES
● Once the stimulus has arrived in the
II) AREAS Primary Auditory Cortex, it’s sent to
III) REFRENCES Auditory Association cortex
o Analyzes pitch, localization and
amplitude of sound
o Compares sound characteristics with
previous sounds and helps to
recognize the meaning and
I) BOUNDARIES significance of the sound stimulus
▪ Example: a wife tells her husband
● Lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure): separates temporal
“she's fine” in a loud manner.
lobe from frontal and parietal lobes
● The auditory association cortex
● Preoccipital notch: an imaginary line that can be
will compare that sound
drawn between the notch and the Lateral sulcus
characteristics with previous memories and
o It allows to separate the temporal lobe from
help one recognize she isn't “fine”, instead
the occipital lobe
“she pissed”
II) BOUNDARIES
The temporal lobe contains several important areas:
● Primary Auditory cortex
(C) WERNICKE’S AREA
● Auditory Association cortex
● Wernicke’s Area ● Responsible for comprehension and
● Primary Olfactory cortex and Olfactory Association cortex understanding of written and spoken language
● Insular cortex ● Receives visual cues from visual association
cortex in occipital lobe and auditory information
(A) PRIMARY AUDITORY CORTEX from auditory association cortex in temporal
● The Primary Auditory cortex is Involved in conscious lobe
awareness of sound stimuli o These information are used to help
● It identifies the 3 characteristics of sound: comprehend the language (written or
o Frequency spoken) being presented.
o Pitch o Then Wernicke’s area sends impulses to
o Location Broca's area (via arcuate fasciculus) which
is involved in stimulating muscles of speech
(1) How is sound received: production
● Auditory pathway: → Inner hair cells in o Example:
cochlea→ carried by ▪ Wife is talking about various things that
vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)→ happened at work today and you
cochlear nuclei in pontomedullary decide to tune her out, because you are
junction→ decussation at level of watching a ninja nerd lecture. All of a
trapezoid body→ ascends as lateral sudden she says frustratingly with her
lemniscus→ goes to thalamus (medial very upset facial expressions “what did
geniculate body)→ primary auditory I just say, were you even listening?”
cortex (transverse gyrus of heschl) ● Your Wernicke’s area will allow you
o There is communication between to analyze the angry voice and
the 2 sides frustrated face of the wife and then
o The neurons decussate at the level comprehend she is “pissed”
of the trapezoid body, so the ● Wernicke's area then sends that information
information is received to Broca’s area and then you respond “yeah
controlaterally of course I was listening”
▪ Example: a sound stimulus
(1) Wernicke’s aphasia (Receptive aphasia)
received by the left ear will be
elaborate in the right Primary Auditory cortex ● Caused by damage to Wernicke’s area, usually because
of middle cerebral artery stroke.
(2) Lesion of Primary Auditory Cortex ● Symptoms:
● It will cause contralateral loss of sound stimuli o Fluent speech: the patient is able to form words and
o Includes difficulty determining the location, pitch and sentences since Broca’s area isn’t damaged,
frequency of a sound. however the speech will make no sense
o Inability to comprehend the meaning of a word or
sentence

TEMPORAL LOBE ANATOMY & FUNCTION NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #6 1 of 2

 ● Jameson JL, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, Hauser SL, Longo DL,
Loscalzo J. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. New York
etc.: McGraw-Hill Education; 2018.
● Felten DL, O'Banion MK, Maida ME. Netter's Atlas of
(D) PRIMARY OLFACTORY CORTEX AND Neuroscience. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Health
OLFACTORY ASSOCIATION AREA Sciences; 2015
● Located deep to temporal lobe, at the level of uncus, on
medial portion of the brain
● Involved in the awareness of smell and analysis,
recognize and identify smell patterns and store these
smells in memory pathways
● Olfactory pathway:
o The smell will activate the receptors located in the
nasal activity → activates olfactory nerves (CN I),
which cross cribriform plate to reach olfactory bulb
→ gives rise to olfactory tract→
▪ Medial olfactory stria: directed towards
primary orbitofrontal cortex in frontal lobe
▪ Lateral olfactory stria: directed to
primary olfactory cortex
●From there, the stimulus is sent to Olfactory
Association cortex, where it will be stored in
our memory
●The stimulus can also reach the amygdala
(limbic system), where that particular smell
will be tied to certain emotions

(E) INSULAR CORTEX

● Not actually part of the temporal lobe,
makes up its own lobe
● Located deep in Lateral fissure
● Functions:
o Receives visceral sensation: pain
and temperature information from
lungs, heart and GI tract
▪ Information is sent to insula
→ analyzes, recognizes, and
stores memory of visceral
sensations
▪ Example:
● Gastroenteritis→ activates
visceral sensory neurons
of GIT→ sends signals to
insula→ Insula
remembers visceral pain
from gastroenteritis
o Receives vestibular sensations from inner ear→
Insula
▪ This helps us to be more aware of our dynamic
and static equilibrium
● Receives gustation (taste) from taste buds in
fungiform papillae and vallate papillae→
Cranial nerves (VII and IX)→ nucleus of
tractus solitarius→ insula
▪ Insula helps us differentiate between different
tastes
● Sweet
● Sour
● Salty
● Bitter
● Umami

III) REFERENCES
● Le T, Bhushan V, Sochat M, Chavda Y, Zureick A. First Aid for the
USMLE Step 1 2018. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2017
● Marieb EN, Hoehn K. Anatomy & Physiology. Hoboken, NJ:
Pearson; 2020.
● Boron WF, Boulpaep EL. Medical Physiology.; 2017.
● Urry LA, Cain ML, Wasserman SA, Minorsky PV, Orr RB,
Campbell NA. Campbell Biology. New York, NY: Pearson; 2020.

2 of 2 NEURO PHYSIOLOGY: Note #6 TEMPORAL LOBE ANAOTMY & FUNCTION