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Glite Dictionary
🧑‍🦲 Like a little man 🧠 Body in the brain
homuncular

homuncular

9.9
A map in the brain that shows which parts control movement or feeling
  • adjective
  • /həˈmʌŋkjələr/
  • Specialized
: homuncular
  • Researchers use homuncular diagrams to show how different body parts are represented in the cortex.

Examples

  • The homuncular map is fascinating!

  • Damage to certain homuncular regions can affect movement or sensation in specific body areas.

  • The neurologist explained the homuncular organization of the brain to her students.

  • What is a homuncular representation?

  • The homuncular map in the brain shows how different parts of the body are represented in the sensory cortex.

  • Researchers study the homuncular representation of body parts to understand how the brain processes sensory information.

  • In neuroscience, the homuncular model helps explain why certain body areas may feel more sensitive than others.

Surface Forms

homuncular positive

Morphology

homuncular = homunculus (opaque) = homuncul + ar

The term 'homuncular' is derived from 'homunculus', but its specific meaning in neuroscience is not directly inferable from the base word.

Etymology

The word homuncular comes from the Latin homunculus, meaning 'little man'. In brain science, people draw maps that look like a tiny person made of body parts to show touch and movement, so homuncular describes these brain maps.