The finger reading Braille seems important to a blind person's brain in the same way because its representation in somatosensory cortex is also relatively large. Learned behaviors, repetitive ones seem to remodel the neocortex, even if learning begins relatively late in life. The cortex responds plastically to training. The ability of cortex to undergo what looks suspiciously like developmental change continues throughout life. Sensory information comes to the cortex in separate channels according to modality and the channels project to separate areas of cortex.
Somatosensory cortex is in the frontal lobe.
Primary auditory cortex is in the temporal lobe and primary visual cortex is in the occipital lobe, etc. In humans, however, the great bulk of the neocortex, association cortex, does not directly connect with any sensory inputs to the cortex or to motor centers in the spinal cord or brain. Association cortex has very clearly expanded during human evolution clearly has expanded , as we understand to correlate with our increased cognition. The medulla oblongata connects smoothly at its caudal end with the spinal cord. These features and others are visible in a series of 8 frontal sections through the brain of a squirrel monkey available now on our web page, and in hard copy on Monday.