Outer layer of the cerebrum of the mammalian brain
For the scientific journal, see Cerebral Cortex (journal). For the cerebellar cortex, see Cerebellum § Gross_anatomy.
Cerebral cortex
The sulci and gyri (folds and ridges) of the cortex
Motor and sensory areas of the cerebral cortex
Details
Part of
Cerebrum
Identifiers
Latin
cortex cerebri
MeSH
D002540
NeuroNames
39
NeuroLex ID
birnlex_1494
TA98
A14.1.09.003 A14.1.09.301
TA2
5527, 5528
FMA
61830
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy
[edit on Wikidata]
The cerebral cortex, also known as the cerebral mantle,[1] is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain in humans and other mammals. It is the largest site of neural integration in the central nervous system[2] and plays a key role in attention, perception, awareness, thought, memory, language, and consciousness. The cerebral cortex is the part of the brain responsible for cognition.
The six-layered neocortex makes up approximately 90% of the cortex, with the allocortex making up the remainder.[3] The cortex is divided into left and right parts by the longitudinal fissure, which separates the two cerebral hemispheres that are joined beneath the cortex by the corpus callosum. In most mammals, apart from small mammals that have small brains, the cerebral cortex is folded, providing a greater surface area in the confined volume of the cranium. Apart from minimising brain and cranial volume, cortical folding is crucial for the brain circuitry and its functional organisation.[4] In mammals with small brains, there is no folding and the cortex is smooth.[5][6]
A fold or ridge in the cortex is termed a gyrus (plural gyri) and a groove is termed a sulcus (plural sulci). These surface convolutions appear during fetal development and continue to mature after birth through the process of gyrification. In the human brain, the majority of the cerebral cortex is not visible from the outside, but buried in the sulci.[7] The major sulci and gyri mark the divisions of the cerebrum into the lobes of the brain. The four major lobes are the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes. Other lobes are the limbic lobe, and the insular cortex often referred to as the insular lobe.
There are between 14 and 16 billion neurons in the human cerebral cortex.[2] These are organised into horizontal cortical layers, and radially into cortical columns and minicolumns. Cortical areas have specific functions such as movement in the motor cortex, and sight in the visual cortex. The motor cortex is primarily located in the precentral gyrus, and the visual cortex is located in the occipital lobe.
^"cerebral mantle". TheFreeDictionary.com.
^ abCite error: The named reference Saladin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Strominger, Norman L.; Demarest, Robert J.; Laemle, Lois B. (2012). "Cerebral Cortex". Noback's Human Nervous System, Seventh Edition. Humana Press. pp. 429–451. doi:10.1007/978-1-61779-779-8_25. ISBN 978-1-61779-778-1.
^Cite error: The named reference Shipp_2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Fernández, V; Llinares-Benadero, C; Borrell, V (17 May 2016). "Cerebral cortex expansion and folding: what have we learned?". The EMBO Journal. 35 (10): 1021–44. doi:10.15252/embj.201593701. PMC 4868950. PMID 27056680.
^Rakic, P (October 2009). "Evolution of the neocortex: a perspective from developmental biology". Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 10 (10): 724–35. doi:10.1038/nrn2719. PMC 2913577. PMID 19763105.
^Principles of neural science (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill, Health Professions Division. 2000-01-05. ISBN 978-0838577011.
The cerebralcortex, also known as the cerebral mantle, is the outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain in humans and other mammals....
The motor cortex is the region of the cerebralcortex involved in the planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements. The motor cortex is an area...
The cingulate cortex is a part of the brain situated in the medial aspect of the cerebralcortex. The cingulate cortex includes the entire cingulate gyrus...
endbrain is the largest part of the brain containing the cerebralcortex (of the two cerebral hemispheres), as well as several subcortical structures,...
brains of diverse mammalian species and developed a division of the cerebralcortex into 52 discrete areas (of which 44 in the human, and the remaining...
The development of the cerebralcortex, known as corticogenesis is the process during which the cerebralcortex of the brain is formed as part of the development...
in the cortex called the central sulcus. However, some body parts may be controlled by partially overlapping regions of cortex. Each cerebral hemisphere...
anatomy, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) covers the front part of the frontal lobe of the cerebralcortex. It is the association cortex in the frontal lobe....
divided into left and right cerebral hemispheres. Each of these hemispheres has an outer layer of grey matter, the cerebralcortex, that is supported by an...
The visual cortex of the brain is the area of the cerebralcortex that processes visual information. It is located in the occipital lobe. Sensory input...
The insular cortex (also insula and insular lobe) is a portion of the cerebralcortex folded deep within the lateral sulcus (the fissure separating the...
consists of two cerebral hemispheres. Each hemisphere has an inner core composed of white matter, and an outer surface – the cerebralcortex – composed of...
parietal and frontal lobes of the human cerebralcortex. Animal studies indicate that auditory fields of the cerebralcortex receive ascending input from the...
broad irregular convolutions of the cerebralcortex. These parallel grooves conceal the fact that the cerebellar cortex is actually a continuous thin layer...
The lobes of the brain are the major identifiable zones of the human cerebralcortex, and they comprise the surface of each hemisphere of the cerebrum....
Cerebral achromatopsia is a type of color blindness caused by damage to the cerebralcortex of the brain, rather than abnormalities in the cells of the...
In neuroanatomy, a gyrus (pl.: gyri) is a ridge on the cerebralcortex. It is generally surrounded by one or more sulci (depressions or furrows; sg.:...
cerebral hemisphere) to mouth (at the bottom). However, some body parts may be controlled by partially overlapping regions of cortex. Each cerebral hemisphere...
Orbitofrontal cortex. CerebralCortex special issue on orbitofrontal cortex Camille et al. (2004) The Involvement of the Orbitofrontal Cortex in the Experience...
up cortex or cortical in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Cortex or cortical may refer to: Cortex (anatomy), the outermost layer of an organ Cerebral cortex...
constitute the central nervous system in all vertebrates. In humans, the cerebralcortex contains approximately 14–16 billion neurons, and the estimated number...
Interventricular Foramina Cerebral Aqueduct Foramina of Luschka Foramen of Magendie The limbic system, also known as the paleomammalian cortex, is a set of brain...
the neopallium, isocortex, or the six-layered cortex, is a set of layers of the mammalian cerebralcortex involved in higher-order brain functions such...
In the human brain, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex that resembles a "collar" surrounding the frontal part...
efferent nerve fibers from the upper motor neurons that travel from the cerebralcortex and terminate either in the brainstem (corticobulbar) or spinal cord...
also known as spindle neurons, found in a few select parts of the cerebralcortex of apes and some other intelligent animals, possess a single axon and...
of the forebrain). Nerve fibers project out of the thalamus to the cerebralcortex in all directions, known as the thalamocortical radiations, allowing...
cerebellum is located at the base of the brain, with the large mass of the cerebralcortex above it and the portion of the brainstem called the pons in front...
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