the Penfield Homunculus

The Penfield Homunculus is a visual model created by neurologist Wilder Penfield to show how different parts of the brain's surface control sensations and movements of various body parts. It illustrates that areas dedicated to seeing or feeling are proportionally sized according to how sensitive or movable those parts are. For example, the hands and lips appear much larger than the torso because they have more nerve receptors and require finer control. This map helps us understand the brain's organization, showing that certain regions are dedicated to specific body parts, with some having more cortical area due to their functional importance.