The superior temporal gyrus is one of three (sometimes two) gyri

Gyrus

A gyrus is a ridge on the cerebral cortex. It is generally surrounded by one or more sulci .-Notable gyri:* Superior frontal gyrus, lat. gyrus frontalis superior* Middle frontal gyrus, lat. gyrus frontalis medius...

 in the temporal lobe

Temporal lobe

The temporal lobe is a region of the cerebral cortex that is located beneath the Sylvian fissure on both cerebral hemispheres of the mammalian brain....

 of the human brain

Brain

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...

, which is located laterally to the head, situated somewhat above the external ear.

The superior temporal gyrus is bounded by:

• the lateral sulcus
  Lateral sulcus
  -External links:* * * http://www.uams.edu/radiology/education/residency/diagnostic/pdf/sylvian_cistern_RSNA2003.pdf...
  
   above;
• the superior temporal sulcus
  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....
  
   (not always present or visible) below;
• an imaginary line drawn from the preoccipital notch
  Preoccipital notch
  About 5 cm. in front of the occipital pole on the infero-lateral border is an indentation or notch, named the preoccipital notch....
  
   to the lateral sulcus
  Lateral sulcus
  -External links:* * * http://www.uams.edu/radiology/education/residency/diagnostic/pdf/sylvian_cistern_RSNA2003.pdf...
  
   posteriorly.

The superior temporal gyrus contains several important structures of the brain

Brain

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...

, including:

• Brodmann area
  Brodmann area
  A Brodmann area is a region of the cerebral cortex defined based on its cytoarchitectonics, or structure and organization of cells.-History:...
  
  s 41 and 42, marking the location of the primary auditory cortex
  Primary auditory cortex
  The primary auditory cortex is the region of the brain that is responsible for the processing of auditory information. Corresponding roughly with Brodmann areas 41 and 42, it is located on the temporal lobe, and performs the basics of hearing—pitch and volume...
  
  , the cortical
  Cerebral cortex
  The cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is constituted of up to six horizontal layers, each of which has a different...
  
   region responsible for the sensation of sound
  Sound
  Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
  
  ;
• Wernicke's area
  Wernicke's area
  Wernicke's area is one of the two parts of the cerebral cortex linked since the late nineteenth century to speech . It is involved in the understanding of written and spoken language...
  
  , Brodmann 22p, an important region for the processing of speech so that it can be understood as language.

Function

The superior temporal gyrus has been involved in the perception of emotions in facial stimuli.