area
[a´re-ah] (pl. a´reae, areas) (L.) a limited space or plane surface.
acoustic a's auditory areas.
association a's areas of the cerebral cortex (excluding
primary areas) connected with each other and with the neothalamus; they are responsible for higher mental and emotional processes, including memory, learning, speech, and the interpretation of sensations.

Area. Functional areas and lobes of the cerebrum.
auditory a's two contiguous areas of the temporal lobe in the region of the anterior transverse temporal gyrus, known as the primary and secondary auditory areas. Called also acoustic areas.
Broca's motor speech area an area comprising parts of the opercular and triangular portions of the inferior frontal gyrus; injury to this area may result in
motor aphasia.
Broca's parolfactory area a small area of cortex on the medial surface of each cerebral hemisphere, between the anterior and posterior parolfactory sulci. Called also
area subcallosa.
Brodmann's a's specific occipital and preoccipital areas of the
cerebral cortex, distinguished by differences in the arrangement of their six cellular layers, and identified by numbering each area. They are considered to be the seat of specific functions of the brain.
catchment area 1. the geographical region drained by one body of water.
2. the area whose residents are served by a specialized health care agency. Called also
catchment.
Kiesselbach's area an area on the anterior part of the nasal septum, richly supplied with capillaries, and a common site of epistaxis (nosebleed).
language area any
nerve center of the cerebral cortex, usually in the dominant hemisphere, controlling the understanding or use of language.
occupational performance a's categories of activities that make up an individual's
occupational performance; they include
activities of daily living, work activities, and play or leisure activities. A delay in any of these areas may be addressed by occupational therapy intervention.
olfactory area 1. a general area of the brain, including the olfactory bulb, tract, and trigone, the anterior portion of the gyrus cinguli, and the uncus.
postcentral area (postrolandic area) an area just posterior to the central sulcus of the cerebral hemisphere that is the primary receiving area for general sensations.
premotor area an area of the motor cortex of the frontal lobe immediately in front of the precentral gyrus.
primary area areas of the cerebral cortex comprising the motor and sensory regions.
primary receiving a's the areas of the cerebral cortex that receive the thalamic projections of the primary sensory modalities such as vision, hearing, and smell. Called also sensory areas.
primary somatomotor area an area in the posterior part of the frontal lobe just anterior to the central sulcus; different regions control motor activity of specific parts of the body. Called also
precentral area and
rolandic area.
projection a's those areas of the
cerebral cortex that receive the most direct projection of the sensory systems of the body.
sensorimotor area the cortex of the precentral and postcentral gyri, which are the
motor area and the
primary receiving area for general sensations, respectively.
sensory a's primary receiving areas.
sensory association area an
association area around the borders of a
primary receiving area, where sensory stimuli are interpreted.
silent area an area of the brain in which pathologic conditions may occur without producing symptoms.
somatic sensory area (somatosensory area) either of two cortical projection areas in or near the postcentral gyrus where conscious perception of somatic sensations occurs, known as the first or primary somatosensory area and the second or secondary somatosensory area.
area under the curve (AUC) the area enclosed between the curve of a
probability with nonnegative values and the axis of the quality being measured; of the total area under a curve, the proportion that falls between two given points on the curve defines a
probability density function.
visual a's three areas
(first, second, and
third visual areas) of the
visual cortex. The first visual area is better known as the
striate cortex.
Wernicke's area originally a name for a speech center thought to be confined to the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus next to the transverse temporal gyri; the term now refers to a wider zone that also includes the supramarginal and angular gyri.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.