From the Guidelines
The angular gyrus is a critical brain region involved in various higher-order cognitive functions, including language processing, spatial cognition, and mathematics, and damage to this area can result in significant cognitive deficits. The angular gyrus, located in the parietal lobe at the junction of the temporal and parietal lobes, plays a crucial role in integrating multiple types of information, allowing us to understand complex concepts and perform various cognitive tasks 1. This region is involved in language processing, including reading comprehension and semantic processing, and damage to the angular gyrus can result in difficulties with these tasks, as well as problems with spatial awareness and mathematics 1. The angular gyrus is also important for theory of mind, attention, and memory retrieval, and its damage can lead to various cognitive deficits, including Gerstmann's syndrome, which is characterized by finger agnosia, left-right disorientation, agraphia, and acalculia 1. In terms of its development, the angular gyrus is more developed in humans than in other primates, highlighting its importance in higher cognitive functions that distinguish human thinking 1. Its location at the intersection of multiple sensory processing regions enables it to serve as a critical hub for integrating and interpreting complex information from different parts of the brain, making it a key area for further study in the context of cognitive function and recovery after stroke 1. Some key points to consider when evaluating the role of the angular gyrus in cognitive function include:
- The angular gyrus is involved in various higher-order cognitive functions, including language processing, spatial cognition, and mathematics
- Damage to the angular gyrus can result in significant cognitive deficits, including Gerstmann's syndrome and difficulties with reading comprehension and spatial awareness
- The angular gyrus is more developed in humans than in other primates, highlighting its importance in higher cognitive functions
- The location of the angular gyrus at the intersection of multiple sensory processing regions enables it to serve as a critical hub for integrating and interpreting complex information from different parts of the brain. Overall, the angular gyrus is a critical brain region that plays a key role in various higher-order cognitive functions, and its damage can result in significant cognitive deficits, making it an important area for further study in the context of cognitive function and recovery after stroke 1.
From the Research
Angular Gyrus Structure and Function
- The angular gyrus is associated with a spectrum of higher order cognitive functions, including language, spatial, and memory functions 2, 3.
- The angular gyrus is considered a heterogeneous structure, with different parts associated with different patterns of whole-brain gray matter volume associations, as well as resting-state functional connectivity and structural connectivity patterns 3.
- The angular gyrus is thought to be a cross-modal hub region that suffers from significant age-related structural atrophy, which may contribute to age-related cognitive decline 3.
Angular Gyrus and Cognitive Functions
- The angular gyrus is involved in multiple cognitive functions, including language, spatial, and memory functions 2, 3.
- The different parts of the angular gyrus, such as PGa and PGp, may sub-serve different cognitive functions 3.
- The angular gyrus is also involved in attention and executive functions, although the exact relationship between the angular gyrus and these functions is not fully understood 2.
Clinical Relevance of the Angular Gyrus
- The angular gyrus is affected in various neurological and psychiatric conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and depression 4, 5, 6.
- Imaging techniques, such as MRI and CT perfusion, can be used to guide acute reperfusion treatment of acute stroke, including mechanical thrombectomy and intravenous alteplase 4.
- Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to be a potentially efficacious therapeutic intervention for multiple symptoms after traumatic brain injury, including depression, dizziness, and central pain 6.