What does the somatosensory cortex control?

The somatosensory cortex controls the body's sense of touch. This part of the brain is located behind the frontal lobe where the motor controls are located. The area is called the parietal lobe, and the somatosensory cortex is located at the front of it on both halves of the brain.

This cortex is set up so that the regions that respond to the body go from the bottom to the top of the brain. The region related to a person's face or head is located on the lower sides of the area. Going up the slope of the lobe, toward the top of the head, a person goes lower down the body until the very center of the brain. The touch response areas for the genitals, feet, toes and legs are found at the center.