Cerebral cortex (outer gray matter)

What does the cerebral cortex contain?

• Nuclei

that:

• receive, localise and interpret sensory input

• control voluntary skeletal muscle movements

• perform intellectual and language functions

• store memories

• control emotions, behaviours and personality

What are the three main functional areas of each cerebral cortex?

• Motor areas

• Sensory areas

• Association areas

What do motor areas do?

• Control voluntary skeletal muscle movements

What do sensory areas do?

• Receive and localise sensory input

• Allow conscious perception of sensations

What do association areas do?

• Interpret sensory input

• Plan and coordinate motor responses

• Perform intellectual functions

• Store memories

• Determine behaviours and personality

What does each cerebral cortex do with sensory and motor information?

• Receives sensory input from and sends motor output to the opposite (contralateral) side of the body

What does the left cerebral cortex control?

• Receives sensory information from and controls skeletal muscles on the right side of the body

What does the right cerebral cortex control?

• Receives sensory information from and controls skeletal muscles on the left side of the body