Temporopariétal

Temporopariétal refers to the region of the brain at the interface of the temporal and parietal lobes. In English literature this area is commonly described as the temporoparietal junction (TPJ), a functional boundary near the posterior end of the Sylvian fissure. The temporopariétal region encompasses parts of the superior temporal gyrus, the inferior parietal lobule (including the angular and supramarginal gyri), and adjacent cortex. It serves as a crossroads between auditory and language processing and higher-order cognitive functions.

Functions linked to the temporopariétal region include multisensory integration, attentional control, and the reorientation of attention to salient stimuli. It plays a central role in social cognition, including theory of mind and perspective-taking, and is involved in processing biologically relevant motion and events. There are observable lateralization tendencies: the right temporopariétal junction is often associated with attentional reorientation and social processing, while the left temporopariétal region more commonly participates in language-related tasks.

Clinical and research context Around temporopariétal function, disruptions can contribute to neglect after parietal injury and to deficits in social cognition or self-other distinction. Functional imaging shows task-dependent activation of TPJ across language, perception, and social cognition paradigms. The region is a frequent focus in neuroimaging studies and is sometimes targeted in noninvasive stimulation research, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, to investigate its causal role in cognition and perception. In neuropsychiatric conditions, atypical TPJ activity has been reported in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.