- Location - Area of the [[Human Brain]] where the temporal and parietal lobes meet - Positioned at the posterior end of the lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure) - Functions - Multisensory integration - incorporates input from the [[thalamus]], [[limbic system]], and sensory systems (visual, auditory, somatosensory) - integrates information from both the external environment and internal bodily states - [[Social cognition]] - [[Theory of Mind (ToM)]]: understanding others’ beliefs, intentions, perspectives - empathy and moral reasoning - self–other distinctions - Attention reorienting - shifting focus to novel or unexpected stimuli - Information processing - collects and processes diverse sensory and cognitive information - Neural Connectivity - Strong links with [[Prefrontal Cortex]], [[Amygdala]], [[Posterior Cingulate Cortex]] - Acts as a hub integrating sensory, emotional, and cognitive streams - Clinical/Research Insights - Lesions can impair theory of mind, empathy, and moral decision-making - Damage can produce out-of-body experiences (OBEs) - Electromagnetic stimulation of TPJ can trigger OBEs and distort self–other boundaries - Abnormal activity associated with multiple disorders: - anxiety disorders - amnesia - Alzheimer’s disease - autism spectrum disorder - [[schizophrenia]]