Paracentral lobule
In neuroanatomy, the paracentral lobule is on the medial surface of the cerebral hemisphere and is the continuation of the precentral and postcentral gyri. The paracentral lobule controls motor and sensory innervations of the contralateral lower extremity. It is also responsible for control of blushing, defecation and urination.
It includes portions of the frontal and parietal lobes:
- The anterior portion of the paracentral lobule is part of the frontal lobe and contains a little portion of Brodmann's area 6 : this is because the paracentral sulcus does not correspond to the precentral sulcus on the medial plane.
- The posterior portion is considered part of the parietal lobe and deals with somatosensory of the distal limbs.
Function
Neurons in paracentral lobule are concerned with:- Motor and sensory innervations of the contralateral lower extremity
- Regulation of physiological function such as blushing, defecation and micturition