precuneus - BrainInfo

precuneus (PCU)

The term precuneus refers to one of four subdivisions of the parietal lobe identified by dissection in the human ( Carpenter-1983; Ono-1990 ) and the macaque ( Martin-2000 ). Located on the mesial surface of the cerebral hemisphere, it is separated from the postcentral gyrus rostrally by a vertical extension of the cingulate sulcus, the marginal sulcus. Below the cingulate sulcus, it is separated from the posterior cingulate gyrus by the splenial sulcus ( Duvernoy-1992 ). Dorsally it meets the superior parietal lobule at the margin of the hemisphere. Caudally its boundary with the cuneus of the occipital lobe is marked by the parieto-occipital sulcus. Its most caudal and ventral boundaries with the isthmus of the cingulate gyrus and the cuneus are unmarked by anatomical features. The other three parts of the parietal lobe are the postcentral gyrus, the superior parietal lobule, and the inferior parietal lobule. The boundaries in the macaque are the same except that the superior parietal lobule extends onto the mesial surface of the hemisphere where the precuneus is partially separated from it by the cingulate sulcus; and its rostral boundary, largely unmarked by anatomical features, is with the posterior cingulate gyrus ( Martin-2000 ). Equivalent structures are not found in the smooth cerebral cortex of the rat or mouse ( NeuroNames ).

Also known as: precuneus, Precuneus, quadrate lobule, precuneate lobule, Praecuneus, medial area of the superior parietal cortex

NeuroNames ID: 110

All Names & Sources

1 of 16

Showing 16 synonym(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 16 synonym(s)

Name:

PCu

Language:

acronym

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

предклинье

Language:

Russian

Organism:

human

Source:

Savel'ev-1996

Citation:

AREA XVII, Moscow, 1996.

Source Title:

Stereoskopicheskii Atlas Mozga Cheloveka

Name:

precuneo

Language:

Italian

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1995

Citation:

EdiSes, s.r.l.- Napoli, 1995

Source Title:

Fondamenti di Neuroanatomia

Name:

precuneus

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

precuneus

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Martin-1997

Citation:

Primate Information Center, University of Washington, Seattle, 1997.

Source Title:

Template Atlas of the Primate Brain

Name:

Precuneus

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Nomina-1983

Citation:

Fifth Edition, Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1983

Source Title:

Nomina Anatomica

Name:

Precuneus

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Source:

Krieg-1975

Citation:

Brain Books, Evanston, Illinois, 1975

Source Title:

Interpretive Atlas Of The Monkey's Brain

Name:

quadrate lobule

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

precuneate lobule

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Anthoney-1994

Citation:

Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 1994

Source Title:

Neuroanatomy And The Neurologic Exam: A Thesaurus of Synonyms, Similar Sounding Non-Synonyms And Terms Of Variable Meaning

Name:

Praecuneus

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

Vorkeil

Language:

German

Organism:

human

Source:

Schultze-1993

Citation:

Georg Theme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1993

Source Title:

Anatomisches Wörterbuch

Name:

precuneus

Language:

Indonesian

Organism:

human

Source:

Noback-1982

Citation:

Jakarta: Penerbit Buku Kedokteran EGC, 1982

Source Title:

Anatomi Susunan Saraf Manusia, Prinsip-Prinsip Dasar Neurobiologi

Name:

precuña

Language:

Spanish

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1994

Citation:

edicion 4, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore; traducción de Editorial Medica Panamericana, Buenos Aires, efectuada por el Dr. Alejandro Kaufman

Source Title:

Neuroanatomía Fundamentos

Name:

precuneus

Language:

French

Organism:

human

Source:

Duvernoy-1992

Citation:

Springer-Verlag, Paris, 1992

Source Title:

Le cerveau humain: Surface, coupes seriees tridimensionnelles et IRM

Name:

medial area of the superior parietal cortex

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Wikipedia-2024a

Citation:

Source Title:

Lamina terminalis

Name:

PCU

Language:

acronym

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

Illustrations

Showing 5 illustration(s)

drawing of
medial aspect in
human

labeled line drawings of
sagittal section in
Macaca fascicularis

multiple views of
3D reconstruction in
Macaca mulatta

surface view of
lateral aspect in
macaque

drawing of
all aspects in
macaque

Species With The Structure

Equivalent By	Human	Macaque	Rat	Mouse
Topology	Has The Structure	Has The Structure	Does Not Have The Structure	Does Not Have The Structure

1 of 10

Showing 10 record(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 10 record(s)

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

medial area of the superior parietal cortex

Source:

Wikipedia-2024a

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Praecuneus

Source:

Mai-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

precuneate lobule

Source:

Anthoney-1994

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

precuneus

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Precuneus

Source:

Nomina-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

quadrate lobule

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

precuneus

Source:

Martin-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca mulatta (Macaca mulatta)

Their Name:

Precuneus

Source:

Krieg-1975

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Organism:

Rattus (rat)

Their Name:

---

Source:

Bowden-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Organism:

Mus (mouse)

Their Name:

---

Source:

NeuroNames

Models Where It Appears

Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.

brain

forebrain

endbrain