Which statement about the central sulcus is true?

Which statement about the central sulcus is true?

• A. It separates the frontal and parietal lobes
• B. It separates the occipital and temporal lobes
• C. It marks the boundary between the limbic and neocortex
• D. It lies within the occipital lobe

Answer: (A)

The central sulcus serves as the major boundary between the frontal and parietal lobes. It runs on the lateral surface of the cortex, separating the precentral gyrus, where the primary motor cortex resides, from the postcentral gyrus, which houses the primary somatosensory cortex. This positioning is what makes it the key landmark for distinguishing motor from sensory regions, rather than marking boundaries between other lobes. It does not separate the occipital and temporal lobes—that distinction involves different sulci and regions around the back and sides of the brain. The central sulcus also isn’t a boundary between the limbic system and the neocortex, which are organized differently and lie more medially. So, the central sulcus being the divider between the frontal and parietal lobes is the true statement.

The central sulcus serves as the major boundary between the frontal and parietal lobes. It runs on the lateral surface of the cortex, separating the precentral gyrus, where the primary motor cortex resides, from the postcentral gyrus, which houses the primary somatosensory cortex. This positioning is what makes it the key landmark for distinguishing motor from sensory regions, rather than marking boundaries between other lobes. It does not separate the occipital and temporal lobes—that distinction involves different sulci and regions around the back and sides of the brain. The central sulcus also isn’t a boundary between the limbic system and the neocortex, which are organized differently and lie more medially. So, the central sulcus being the divider between the frontal and parietal lobes is the true statement.