The contributions of Wilder Penfield to the functional anatomy of the human brain.

Wilder Penfield's early studies with Sherrington, Hortega and Foerster led to his life-long studies on the surgical treatment of focal epilepsy. Working with a succession of neurosurgical associates, Penfield contributed a continuing stream of observations on responses of the human cerebral cortex to electrical stimulation. These characterized the detailed topographical distribution of the primary and secondary sensory and motor areas, and the representation of language function in the inferior frontal, superior frontal and temporo-parietal cortex. He defined the role of the hippocampi and the lateral temporal cortex in memory. From these findings, he postulated the centrencephalic integrating system, as a basis for explaining diffuse bilateral seizure activity, and the mechanism of consciousness.