somatotop
A somatotop is a topographical representation of the body surface that is mapped onto a specific neural structure. This mapping occurs in various parts of the nervous system, most notably in the cerebral cortex, spinal cord, and brainstem. The concept of somatotopy describes how adjacent areas of the body surface are represented by adjacent areas within the neural tissue. For example, the somatosensory cortex in the brain has a somatotopic map where the area corresponding to the hand is located next to the area representing the arm, and so on.
This organized arrangement is crucial for processing sensory information. When a part of the body is stimulated,
Somatotopy is not fixed and can undergo changes throughout an individual's life, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.