Cerebral Cortex

Abstract The cerebral cortex is a telencephalic structure present in some vertebrate species located at the surface of the cerebral hemispheres. It is the brain area most recently acquired in evolution. The cerebral cortex resembles a six layer sheet of neurons that in many animals, including humans, is folded to fit into the confines of the skull. Each cerebral cortex hemisphere is made of four anatomically distinct lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal. Within these lobes, different cortical functions are carried out by functionally and anatomically distinct cortical areas. Although structurally similar, the two hemispheres of the cortex are not functionally equivalent. The cerebral cortex is involved in many higher‐level functions such as sensory perception, cognition, language, memory, decision making, motor planning and control. Key Concepts The cerebral cortex is well‐organised anatomical structure with six neuronal layers and subareas that are anatomically and functionally distinct. The cerebral cortex is composed of different neuronal subtypes that are organised into networks that connect neurons within and between distinct functional areas. A large part of the cerebral cortex is devoted to processing sensory stimuli from the environment. The remainder of the cortex is devoted to motor planning and control, as well as integration of multiple sensory cues and cognitive processing. The two hemispheres of the brain are similar in organisation but distinct in some functions. The complex networks of the cerebral cortex are specified in development using intrinsic molecular cues and spontaneous neuronal activity, although sensory‐driven activity can also play a role.