Q: Which part of the brain is involved in relaying somatic sensory information from the skin of the trunk and extremities to the somatosensory cortex?
A: The thalamus has several functions, one of which is the processing and relaying of sensory information. It receives sensory signals and then relays them to the appropriate cortical area in the cerebral cortex. The thalamus sits between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain, and comprises of a paired structure in the midline of the brain.