The Thinking Practitioner

27: The Little Man In The Brain: The Sensory Homunculus


Listen Later

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe discuss the most famous (yet, unreplicated) illustration in neuroscience, the sensorimotor homunculus, which purports to show the proportion of the brain dedicated to each body part. Is it accurate? 

Episode topics include: 

  • Is the cortical homunculus a map, or the territory? 
  • How did it come about? Penfield's methods and limitations. 
  • How might this all apply to manual therapy and massage? 
  • Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites! 

    Resources and references discussed in this episode: 

    • Catani, Marco. 2017. “A Little Man of Some Importance.” Brain 140 (11): 3055–61. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx270
  • Schabrun, Siobhan M., Edith L. Elgueta-Cancino, and Paul W. Hodges. 2017. “Smudging of the Motor Cortex Is Related to the Severity of Low Back Pain:” SPINE 42 (15): 1172–78. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000000938
  • Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com 
  • Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com 
  • Sponsor Offers: 

    • Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com
  • ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking
  • Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com
  • About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us 

    Episode image from a sculpture by Sharon Price-James (public domain image). 

    (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Thinking PractitionerBy Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe

    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9

    4.9

    172 ratings


    More shows like The Thinking Practitioner

    View all
    Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman by Katy Bowman

    Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman

    604 Listeners

    Boundless Life by Ben Greenfield

    Boundless Life

    4,993 Listeners

    The Rich Roll Podcast by Rich Roll

    The Rich Roll Podcast

    11,911 Listeners

    Align Podcast by Aaron Alexander

    Align Podcast

    885 Listeners

    10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

    10% Happier with Dan Harris

    12,764 Listeners

    Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

    Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

    2,505 Listeners

    The Psychedelic Podcast by Third Wave

    The Psychedelic Podcast

    298 Listeners

    The Nutrition Science Podcast by Dr. Adrian Chavez

    The Nutrition Science Podcast

    513 Listeners

    The Proof with Simon Hill by Live better for longer

    The Proof with Simon Hill

    2,610 Listeners

    The Peter Attia Drive by Peter Attia, MD

    The Peter Attia Drive

    8,187 Listeners

    The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession by Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals

    The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

    99 Listeners

    HEAL with Kelly by Best In Wellness

    HEAL with Kelly

    409 Listeners

    Michael Singer Podcast by Michael Singer

    Michael Singer Podcast

    1,405 Listeners

    Point of Relation with Thomas Huebl by Thomas Huebl

    Point of Relation with Thomas Huebl

    118 Listeners

    Your Brain On by Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai

    Your Brain On

    300 Listeners