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Temporoparietal junction
Temporo-parietal junction.svg
Side view of the human brain. TPJ is indicated by red circle.
Brain - Lobes - Temporoparietal junction.png
Side view of the human brain. TPJ is indicated by red circle.
Identifiers
Acronym(s)TPJ
NeuroLex IDnlx_144255

The temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is an area of the brain where the temporal and parietal lobes meet, at the posterior end of the lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure). The TPJ incorporates information from the thalamus and the limbic system as well as from the visual, auditory and somatosensory systems. The TPJ also integrates information from both the external environment as well as from within the body. The TPJ is responsible for collecting all of this information and then processing it.

This area is also known to play a crucial role in self–other distinctions processes and theory of mind (ToM). Furthermore, damage to the TPJ has been implicated in having adverse effects on an individual's ability to make moral decisions and has been known to produce out-of-body experiences (OBEs). Electromagnetic stimulation of the TPJ can also cause these effects. Apart from these diverse roles that the TPJ plays, it is also known for its involvement in a variety of widespread disorders including amnesia, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.

Anatomy and function