Superior temporal sulcus

The superior temporal sulcus is the sulcus separating the superior temporal gyrus from the middle temporal gyrus in the temporal lobe of the brain. The superior temporal sulcus is the first sulcus inferior to the lateral fissure.

Recent studies reveal multisensory processing capabilities. Research has documented activation in the STS as a result of five specific social inputs, and thus the STS is assumed to be implicated in social perception. It showed increased activation related to: voices versus environmental sounds, stories versus nonsense speech, moving faces versus moving objects, biological motion, and theory of mind (false belief stories versus false physical stories). It is involved in the perception of where others are gazing (joint attention) and is thus important in determining where others' emotions are being directed.