What is the primary function of the angular gyrus?

The angular gyrus plays a crucial role in integrating sensory information, which is essential for language processing. This brain region is located at the junction of the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, making it ideally situated to combine visual, auditory, and tactile inputs. Specifically, it is involved in tasks such as reading and writing, as it processes visual representations of language and connects them to auditory features and comprehension mechanisms.

While the processing of visual inputs pertains more specifically to the occipital lobe and the primary visual cortex, and the connection between the two hemispheres is primarily facilitated by the corpus callosum, the angular gyrus uniquely serves the function of synthesizing diverse sensory modalities to support the complex processes involved in language. Additionally, the regulation of heart rate is managed by different areas in the brain, particularly the medulla oblongata, rather than the angular gyrus. Thus, its specialized role in language-related sensory integration makes it a critical region for communication and comprehension.