Cortical mechanism of oral somatosensory function

Somatosensory information from the orofacial area is received by peripheral sensory neurons and then projected into the primary somatosensory cortex. Within the classical sensory homunculus, the primary somatosensory cortex incorporates a somatotopic functional organization. The sensory-representing area for the oral region is relatively widely distributed, and given its size in comparison with that for the rest of the human body, this indicates great importance for oral function in human. Non-invasive neuroimaging tools have allowed us to clarify the exact locations and response times of cortical neurons following oral sensory stimulation. Here, we describe a detailed organizational map of the orofacial structure-representing areas in the human cerebral cortex.