Cerebral Cortex Overview

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to the cerebral cortex, its structure, and its functions.

Cerebral Cortex

The executive suite of the brain responsible for conscious thought, sensation, and voluntary motor functions.

Sensory areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex responsible for conscious awareness of sensation.

Somatosensory association cortex

Integrates sensory input from the primary somatosensory cortex to understand objects.

Primary somatosensory cortex

Receives general sensory information from skin and proprioceptors.

Somatosensory homunculus

An upside-down representation of the contralateral sensory input from body regions.

Visual areas

Regions of the brain that process visual information.

Primary visual cortex

Located in the occipital lobe; receives visual information directly from the retinas.

Visual association area

Surrounds the primary visual cortex and interprets visual stimuli based on past experiences.

Motor areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex that control voluntary movements.

Primary (somatic) motor cortex

Located in the precentral gyrus, controls precise voluntary movements.

Broca's area

Motor speech area responsible for planning speech and directing muscle movements.

Frontal eye field

Controls voluntary movement of the eyes.

Premotor cortex

Helps plan and coordinates skilled motor activities.

Neural plasticity

The brain's ability to change its structure and function over time.

Corticospinal tracts

Motor pathways that originate in the cerebral cortex and descend to the spinal cord.

Clinical Homeostatic Imbalance

A pathology that occurs when brain areas are damaged, affecting motor control.

Lateralization

Specialization of functions in one hemisphere of the brain.

Gyri

Ridges on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Sulci

Shallow grooves on the surface of the brain that separate gyri.

Fissures

Deep grooves that separate major portions of the brain.

Longitudinal fissure

Separates the two cerebral hemispheres.

Cerebral hemispheres

The two halves of the brain, accounting for 83% of mass.

Ventricles

Fluid-filled chambers in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Fluid that circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord.

Ependymal cells

Neuroglial cells that line the ventricles of the brain.

Interventricular foramen

Connects the lateral ventricles to the third ventricle.

Cerebral aqueduct

Links the third and fourth ventricles.

Cerebral cortex blood supply

Provided by the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries.

Deep gray matter

Contains the basal nuclei located deep within the white matter.

Occipital lobe

Located at the back of the brain; primarily involved in vision.

Temporal lobe

Involved in processing auditory information and memory.

Parietal lobe

Involved in sensory perception and integration.

Frontal lobe

Responsible for higher cognitive functions, motor control, and speech production.

Insula

A hidden lobe of the brain involved in various functions including taste and social emotions.

Cortex thickness

The cerebral cortex has a thickness of 2-4 mm.

Pyramidal cells

Large neurons that allow for conscious control of precise muscle movements.

Somatotopy

The mapping of body muscles to areas on the primary motor cortex.

Contralateral

Refers to structures that are located on opposite sides of the body.

Association areas

Integrate diverse information from different sensory modalities.

Visual stimuli interpretation

Involves past visual experiences to make sense of what is seen.

Ability to recognize faces

A complex function processed by the visual association area.

Vestibular cortex

Area of the cerebral cortex involved in balance.

Olfactory cortex

Related to the sense of smell.

Gustatory cortex

Involved in the sense of taste.

Visceral sensory area

Processes sensations from the internal organs.

Cerebral hemispheres sulci

Major sulci such as the central, parieto-occipital, and lateral sulcus.

Motor homunculus

A caricature representation of motor control areas in the primary motor cortex.

Cerebral cortex major functions

Includes awareness, sensory perception, voluntary movement, and memory.

Cerebral cortex imaging

Functional imaging techniques like PET and MRI reveal cortical functions.

Central sulcus

Separates the frontal and parietal lobes.

Diencephalon

Part of the forebrain that contains the third ventricle.

Hindbrain

Where the fourth ventricle is located.

Septum pellucidum

Membrane that separates the paired lateral ventricles.

Median aperture

Opening in the roof of the fourth ventricle connecting to the subarachnoid space.