Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The somatosensory pathway is a neural pathway responsible for transmitting sensory information from the body to the brain, allowing us to perceive touch, pain, temperature, and other bodily sensations.
Related terms
Sensory Receptors: These are specialized cells in our skin, muscles, and organs that respond to specific stimuli such as pressure or temperature changes.
The thalamus is a relay station in the brain that receives sensory information from various pathways including the somatosensory pathway and sends it to different regions for processing.
Primary Somatosensory Cortex: This is an area in the brain's cerebral cortex that receives and processes sensory information from the somatosensory pathway.