{{Short description|Region of the brain's temporal cortex}} {{Infobox brain | Name = Brodmann area 38 | Latin = area temporopolaris | Image = Brodmann area 38.png | Width = 250 | Caption = | Image2 = Brodmann Cytoarchitectonics 38.png | Caption2 = | IsPartOf = | Components = | Artery = | Vein = | Acronym = }} '''Brodmann area 38''', also '''BA38''' or '''temporopolar area 38 (H)''', is part of the [[temporal lobe|temporal]] [[cerebral cortex | cortex]] in the [[human brain]]. BA 38 is at the anterior end of the temporal lobe, known as the temporal pole.
BA38 is a subdivision of the [[cytoarchitecture|cytoarchitecturally]] defined [[temporal lobe|temporal region]] of [[cerebral cortex]]. It is located primarily in the most rostral portions of the [[superior temporal gyrus]] and the [[middle temporal gyrus]]. Cytoarchitecturally it is bounded caudally by the [[inferior temporal area 20]], the [[middle temporal area 21]], the [[superior temporal area 22]] and the [[ectorhinal area 36]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brodmann |first=Korbinian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-PM3AQAAMAAJ&dq=Brodmann+1909&pg=PR3 |title=Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde in ihren Prinzipien dargestellt auf Grund des Zellenbaues |date=1909 |publisher=Barth |language=de}}</ref>
The temporal pole is a [[Paralimbic_cortex|paralimbic]] region involved in high level semantic representation and socio-emotional processing. The [[uncinate fasciculus]] provides a direct bidirectional path to the orbitofrontal cortex, allowing mnemonic representations stored in the temporal pole to bias decision making in the frontal lobe. The temporal pole appears to be a convergence zone where concepts (also known as [[semantic memories]]) that are stored in the ventral anterior temporal lobe are imbued with emotional significance and personal meaning.<ref name="Olson">{{Cite journal | last1 = Olson | first1 = IR | last2 = Plotzker | first2 = A | last3 = Ezzyat | first3 = Y | title = The enigmatic temporal poles: A review of findings on social and emotional processing | doi = 10.1093/brain/awm052 | journal = Brain | volume = 130 | pages = 1718–1731 | year = 2007 | issue = 7 | pmid = 17392317 | doi-access = free }}</ref> In addition, concepts of individual people, abstracted away from the perceptual representations, are stored in a "face patch" in the temporal pole. This face patch is found in both non-human primates and humans.<ref name= "VonderHeide">{{Cite journal | last1 = Von der Heide | first1 = RJ | last2 = Skipper | first2 = LM| last3 = Olson | first3 = IR | title = Anterior temporal face patches: A meta-analysis and empirical study | doi = 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00017 | journal = Frontiers in Human Neuroscience | volume = 7 | pages = 17 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23378834| pmc = 3561664 | doi-access = free }}</ref> This relates to early work showing that damage to the temporal pole can cause an amnestic [[prosopagnosia]] in which recognition of familiar faces is lost.<ref name="VonderHeide"/>
Bilateral damage to the temporal poles, though rare, can cause dramatic changes in personality. [[Klüver-Bucy syndrome]] involves damage to the greater temporal pole as well as the [[amygdala]]. In this disorder, people and animals demonstrate fearlessness, hypersexuality, and hyperorality.<ref name="Olson"/>
This area is among the earliest affected by [[Alzheimer's disease]], [[frontotemporal dementia]], [[frontotemporal lobar degeneration]], and is commonly involved at the start of [[Temporal lobe epilepsy|temporal lobe seizures]].<ref name="Ding"/>
Cytoarchitectonic and chemoarchitectonic studies find that it contains at least seven subareas, one of which, "TG", is unique to humans.<ref name="Ding">{{Cite journal | last1 = Ding | first1 = S. L. | last2 = Van Hoesen | first2 = G. W. | last3 = Cassell | first3 = M. D. | last4 = Poremba | first4 = A. | title = Parcellation of human temporal polar cortex: A combined analysis of multiple cytoarchitectonic, chemoarchitectonic, and pathological markers | doi = 10.1002/cne.22053 | journal = The Journal of Comparative Neurology | volume = 514 | issue = 6 | pages = 595–623 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19363802 | pmc = 3665344}} </ref>
==See also== * [[Brodmann area]] * [[List of regions in the human brain]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commonscat|Brodmann area 38}}
{{Brodmann area}} {{Prosencephalon}} [[Category:Brodmann areas|38]] [[Category:Temporal lobe]]
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