either of two main areas of the cerebral cortex that can be mapped with evoked potentials to reveal points that respond to stimulation of the various somatosenses. The somatosensory areas vary somewhat among different species; in humans, the primary somatosensory area is located in the postcentral gyrus of the anterior parietal lobe, and the secondary somatosensory area is on the lateral surface of the parietal lobe just dorsal to the lateral sulcus. Also called somatic sensory area; somatic area; somatosensory cortex.