Temporoparietal

Temporoparietal refers to the region of the cerebral cortex where the temporal and parietal lobes meet. Anatomically, it includes parts of the posterior superior temporal gyrus, the middle and inferior temporal gyri, and portions of the inferior parietal lobule, notably the supramarginal and angular gyri. The term is often used to describe the functionally defined temporoparietal junction (TPJ), a node at the posterior end of the superior temporal sulcus that acts as a crossroads for auditory, visual, and somatosensory information.

Functionally, the temporoparietal region participates in multisensory integration and higher-order cognitive processing. The temporoparietal junction in particular is associated with theory of mind, perspective-taking, and reorienting attention to salient events. It connects with ventral attention networks and broader frontoparietal circuits, and contributes to processing of biological motion, body schemas, and certain language-related tasks, depending on regional specialization and connectivity.

Clinical relevance is tied to the region’s role in attention, social perception, and language. Damage or dysfunction in temporoparietal regions, especially the right TPJ, can produce hemispatial neglect and deficits in social attention. Left temporoparietal damage can affect language and calculation in some cases. Functional imaging has linked temporoparietal activity to conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and epileptic networks. Because the region sits at the interface of language, social cognition, and attention, disturbances here can have wide-ranging perceptual and cognitive effects.

Developmentally, the temporoparietal region matures through childhood, with functional specialization that varies across individuals and continues to develop into adolescence. Anatomical boundaries and functional definitions can differ among researchers and imaging modalities.