superior parietal lobule (SPL)

The term superior parietal lobule refers to one of four subdivisions of the parietal lobe identified by dissection in the human ( Carpenter-1983 ) and the macaque ( Martin-2000 ). Located on the dorsal margin of the cerebral hemisphere, it is, in the human, separated rostrally from the postcentral gyrus by the postcentral sulcus and a line extending from the upper end of that sulcus over the margin of the cerebral hemisphere to the cingulate sulcus, which separates it from the cingulate gyrus. Thus, it includes the caudal portion of the paracentral lobule. Caudally its boundary with the occipital lobe is an oblique plane through the parieto-occipital sulcus on the dorsomedial margin of the hemisphere and the preoccipital notch on the ventromedial margin.. Its boundary on the dorsolateral surface of the hemisphere is the intraparietal sulcus, which separates it from the supramarginal gyrus and the angular gyrus of the inferior parietal lobule. The other three parts of the parietal lobe are the inferior parietal lobule, the postcentral gyrus, and the precuneus. The boundaries in the macaque are the same except that the rostral border with the postcentral gyrus is only partially defined by a very short postcentral sulcus on the dorsolateral surface of the hemisphere. On the medial surface of the hemisphere the cingulate sulcus separates it from the precuneus, and its caudal boundary is marked by the parieto-occipital sulcus ( Martin-2000 ). Equivalent structures are not found in the smooth cerebral cortex of the rat or mouse ( NeuroNames ).

Also known as: superior parietal lobule, Lobulus parietalis superior, Gyrus parietalis superior, superior parietal gyrus, superior portion of parietal gyrus

NeuroNames ID: 106

All Names & Sources

Showing 15 synonym(s)

Language
Name
Source
English
superior parietal gyrus
English
superior parietal lobule
English
superior parietal lobule
English
superior portion of parietal gyrus
Species With The Structure
Equivalent By Human Macaque Rat Mouse
Topology Has The Structure Has The Structure Does Not Have The Structure Does Not Have The Structure

Showing 9 record(s)

Basis
Has Equivalent
Organism
Their Name
Source
Topology
Yes
Gyrus parietalis superior
Topology
Yes
Lobulus parietalis superior
Topology
Yes
superior parietal gyrus
Topology
Yes
superior parietal lobule
Topology
Yes
superior portion of parietal gyrus
Topology
Yes
superior parietal lobule
Topology
Yes
Gyrus parietalis superior
Topology
No
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Topology
No
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Models Where It Appears
Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.