Cerebral

Cerebral Cortex

Latin	Cortex cerebri
Part of	Brain
System	Nervous system

The cerebral cortex, commonly referred to as the cortex, is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain in humans and other mammals. It is separated into two cortices, by the longitudinal fissure that divides the brain into the left and right cerebral hemisphere. The two hemispheres are joined beneath the cortex by the corpus callosum. The cerebral cortex plays a key role in memory, attention, perception, cognition, awareness, thought, language, and consciousness.

Structure

The cerebral cortex is the most visible part of the brain, consisting of the gray matter as seen with the naked eye. It is few millimeters thick and is composed of six layers, each having different types of neurons with different functions. These layers are numbered from one to six with layer one at the surface and layer six the deepest.

Function

The cerebral cortex is involved in several functions of the body including:

• Determining intelligence
• Determining personality
• Motor function
• Planning and organization
• Touch sensation
• Processing sensory information
• Language processing

Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex is divided into four sections, called "lobes": the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe. Each lobe has a specific set of functions and responsibilities.

Frontal Lobe

Responsible for reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem-solving.

Parietal Lobe

Responsible for movement, orientation, recognition, perception of stimuli.

Occipital Lobe

Responsible for visual processing.

Temporal Lobe

Responsible for perception and recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speech.

Development

The cerebral cortex develops from the dorsal telencephalon and is influenced by various genetic and environmental factors. The growth of the cortex is characterized by periods of rapid expansion, particularly noted during the fetal and early postnatal stages of development.

Clinical Significance

Damage to the cerebral cortex can result in many types of symptoms, depending on which area of the cortex is involved. These can include epilepsy, difficulties with coordination, sensory loss, aphasia, and visual disturbances.

See Also

• Brain
• Neuron
• Synapse
• Neuroscience