Here's an overview of the pathway involved:
1. Sensory Receptors: When you touch a hot object or kick a ball, sensory receptors in your skin and muscles send signals to the spinal cord.
2. Spinal Cord: The spinal cord transmits the signals from the sensory receptors to the brain.
3. Thalamus: The thalamus, a part of the brain, relays the sensory signals to the appropriate areas of the cerebral cortex.
4. Somatosensory Cortex: The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe receives the signals from the thalamus. This area of the brain processes and interprets the sensory information, allowing you to feel the heat of the object or the impact of kicking the ball.
The left somatosensory cortex primarily processes sensory information from the right side of the body, while the right somatosensory cortex processes information from the left side. This organization ensures that each side of the brain receives and processes sensory information from the corresponding side of the body.