Superior Temporal Gyrus

The superior temporal gyrus is situated in the upper part of the temporal lobe and is one of three gyri which the temporal lobe contains. The superior temporal gyrus is bounded above by the lateral sulcus; below, by the superior temporal sulcus, which is not always present or visible; and by an imaginary line drawn from the preoccipital notch to the lateral sulcus posteriorly.

The superior temporal gyrus contains the Wernicke's area (speech comprehension center) in its posterior part. The primary auditory cortex is also located in the superior temporal gyrus. This gyrus is associated with developmental mechanisms of brain lateralization and the pathogenesis of language-related schizophrenic symptoms. The predominantly right-sided volumetric abnormalities found in the superior temporal gyrus may reflect a particularly early neurodevelopmental disruption in patients with early-onset schizophrenia.