The postcentral gyrus is primarily involved in processing which type of sensory information?

The postcentral gyrus plays a crucial role in processing somatosensory information, which includes sensations such as touch, temperature, pain, and proprioception (the sense of body position and movement). This area of the brain is located in the parietal lobe, just behind the central sulcus, and is also known as the primary somatosensory cortex. It receives sensory input from the body via the thalamus and organizes this information to help the brain interpret various tactile experiences.

The other types of sensory information listed—visual, auditory, and olfactory—are processed in different regions of the brain. Visual information is primarily processed in the occipital lobe, auditory information is handled in the temporal lobe, and olfactory information is managed primarily by areas related to the limbic system and the frontal lobe. Thus, the postcentral gyrus's specialization in somatosensory processing distinguishes it from these other sensory modalities.