The Homunculus Group

The Naked Sole:  Thoughts and Research for the Shoe Minimalist

Authors: Allen, Waerlop, & Korfist

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homunculus [huh-muhng-kyuh-luhs] - noun, plural

TheMotor and Sensory Homunculus

1. The homunculus is a figurative representation of the body map encoded in primary motor and sensory brain areas. Body parts with complex repertories of fine movement and heightened sensation, like the hand, foot and mouth / tongue, require more cortical space and representation in the brain, while body parts with relatively simpler movements and reduced sensory importance, like the hip and elbow require less cortical (motor and sensory) brain space or representation.  Above are figurines that are proportionately shown to respresent these heightened areas of brain representation. It would make good clinical sense that treatment to these areas would have the highest impact on brain sensory and motor function.