middle temporal sulcus

middle temporal sulcus (mts)

The term middle temporal sulcus refers to the central of three short sulci on the ventrolateral surface of the temporal lobe of the macaque. It is identified by gross observation. The other two are the posterior middle temporal sulcus and the anterior middle temporal sulcus ( Bonin-1947 ). The three represent an interrupted sulcus that contributes to the boundary between the middle temporal gyrus and the inferior temporal gyrus. The middle sulcus is topologically equivalent to the central part of the inferior temporal sulcus of the Human ( Ono-1990 ). It is not found in the rat or mouse ( NeuroNames ). The fact that most brain atlases of the macaque ( Martin-2000; Paxinos-2009a ) and the Human ( Ono-1990; Duvernoy-1992; Mai-1997 ) continue to refer to the interrupted sulcus in this location by different names is a source of some confusion in primate cortical anatomy. The root of the confusion appears to be that anatomists who worked with either species in the mid-1900s and who used the term 'middle temporal sulcus' referred to the occipitotemporal sulcus as 'inferior temporal sulcus' ( Crosby-1962; Roberts-1970 ). Since the late 1900s anatomists working with both species have settled on ' occipitotemporal sulcus ' for the more ventral sulcus ( Ono-1990; Martin-2000 ). Human atlases have settled on inferior temporal sulcus for the sulcus marking the lower boundary of the middle temporal gyrus ( Ono-1990 ), but macaque atlases continue to refer to it as a two- or three-part middle temporal sulcus ( Martin-2000; Paxinos-2009a ).

Also known as: anterior middle temporal sulcus (Bonin), middle temporal sulcus, Sulcus temporalis medius, anterior middle temporal sulcus (Martin-97)

NeuroNames ID: 131

All Names & Sources

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Showing 8 synonym(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 8 synonym(s)

Name:

anterior middle temporal sulcus (Bonin)

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Source:

Bonin-1947

Citation:

University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois, 1947

Source Title:

The Neocortex of Macaca Mulatta

Name:

mts

Language:

acronym

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

middle temporal sulcus

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Martin-2000

Citation:

Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000

Source Title:

Primate Brain Maps: Structure Of The Macaque Brain

Name:

средняя височная борозда

Language:

Russian

Organism:

human

Source:

Savel'ev-1996

Citation:

AREA XVII, Moscow, 1996.

Source Title:

Stereoskopicheskii Atlas Mozga Cheloveka

Name:

middle temporal sulcus

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Szabo-1984

Citation:

J Comp Neurol 1984 Jan 10;222(2):265-300

Source Title:

A stereotaxic atlas of the brain of the cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

Name:

middle temporal sulcus

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Source:

Krieg-1975

Citation:

Brain Books, Evanston, Illinois, 1975

Source Title:

Interpretive Atlas Of The Monkey's Brain

Name:

Sulcus temporalis medius

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

Name:

anterior middle temporal sulcus (Martin-97)

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

Illustrations

Showing 2 illustration(s)

labeled line drawings of
sagittal section in
Macaca fascicularis

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

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Showing 7 record(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 7 record(s)

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

inferior temporal sulcus

Source:

NeuroNames

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

anterior middle temporal sulcus (Martin-97)

Source:

Martin-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

middle temporal sulcus

Source:

Szabo-1984

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

middle temporal sulcus

Source:

Martin-2000

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca mulatta (Macaca mulatta)

Their Name:

middle temporal sulcus

Source:

Krieg-1975

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Organism:

Rattus (rat)

Their Name:

---

Source:

NeuroNames

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

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