Cerebral cortex

/səɹˈiːbɹəl kˈɔːtɛks/

/sɚɹˈiːbɹəl kˈɔːɹɾɛks/

[noun]

Cerebral cortex

[NOUN]

the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions and information processing

synonyms : cerebral mantle

cortex

pallium

What is "cerebral cortex"?

The cerebral cortex, often referred to as the "gray matter," is the outermost layer of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions. It covers the cerebrum and consists of densely packed neurons and their associated support cells. The cerebral cortex plays a critical role in sensory perception, attention, memory, language, decision-making, and voluntary movement. It is highly convoluted, forming characteristic folds and grooves, known as gyri and sulci, respectively, which increase its surface area and accommodate a larger number of neurons. The cerebral cortex is a complex and intricate structure that contributes to our ability to think, learn, and interact with the world around us.

Examples

1. You guys recently did a cerebral cortex in a human.

2. The cerebral cortex contains about 16 billion neurons which are interconnected via synapses.

3. The best estimate of the number of synapses in our cerebral cortex is 100 to 500 trillion synapses just in the cerebral cortex.

4. But in Lewy body dementia, those bodies form throughout the cerebral cortex.

Nearby words