From the Guidelines
The intraparietal sulcus plays a crucial role in various cognitive functions, particularly those involving spatial attention, eye movements, and hand-eye coordination, and damage to this area can result in significant cognitive and motor deficits. The intraparietal sulcus is a groove located in the parietal lobe of the brain that runs horizontally along the lateral surface, dividing the superior and inferior parietal lobules. This important anatomical structure contains several functionally distinct regions that process different types of information, including visual-spatial processing, numerical cognition, and action planning. It helps integrate sensory information from multiple modalities (visual, tactile, proprioceptive) to guide movements and interactions with objects in our environment.
Some key points about the intraparietal sulcus include:
- It is involved in spatial attention and eye movements, with studies showing that damage to this area can result in deficits in spatial awareness and difficulty with reaching and grasping objects 1.
- It plays a role in numerical cognition, with research suggesting that the intraparietal sulcus is active when individuals perform mathematical calculations 1.
- It is highly developed in humans compared to other primates, reflecting its importance in advanced cognitive functions that support complex tool use and abstract thinking.
- Damage to this area can result in significant cognitive and motor deficits, including problems with mathematical processing and spatial awareness.
In terms of its role in cognitive functions, the intraparietal sulcus has been shown to be involved in a range of processes, including:
- Visual-spatial processing: the intraparietal sulcus is active when individuals perform tasks that require visual-spatial processing, such as navigating through a virtual environment 1.
- Action planning: the intraparietal sulcus is involved in planning and executing actions, including reaching and grasping objects 1.
- Numerical cognition: the intraparietal sulcus is active when individuals perform mathematical calculations, and damage to this area can result in deficits in mathematical processing 1.
Overall, the intraparietal sulcus is a critical structure in the brain that plays a key role in a range of cognitive functions, and damage to this area can have significant consequences for cognitive and motor abilities.
From the Research
Intraparietal Sulcus Structure and Function
- The intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a neocortical structure that plays a crucial role in multi-sensory processing and top-down attention 2.
- The IPS is also involved in spatial attention, with lesion studies showing that damage to this area can impair spatial attentional abilities 3.
- The IPS has a variable branching pattern and demonstrates an interrupted course in some individuals, with its anterior half overlaying the atrium 4.
Intraparietal Sulcus and Cognitive Functions
- The IPS is critical for numerical processing, particularly in approximation abilities, with damage to this area leading to impairments in numerical cognition 5.
- The IPS is also involved in episodic memory, with alterations in functional connectivity observed in individuals with mild cognitive impairment 6.
- Disruptions in the structural and functional connectivity of the IPS may contribute to chronic cognitive deficits, including reduced processing speed and attention 2.
Surgical Considerations
- The intraparietal transsulcal approach to the atrium has been investigated, with studies showing that the optimal dissection area is the middle of the sulcus to avoid damage to underlying fiber tracts 4.
- The IPS-postcentral sulcus meeting point is a critical area to avoid during surgery, as it may risk potential injury to the arcuate segment of the superior longitudinal fasciculus 4.
Neurological Disorders
- Damage to the IPS has been linked to various neurological disorders, including traumatic brain injury, which can result in long-term cognitive deficits 2.
- The IPS is also affected in mild cognitive impairment, with alterations in functional connectivity observed in this population 6.
- Lesion studies have shown that damage to the IPS can result in spatial attentional deficits, highlighting the importance of this area in attentional processing 3.