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Cerebral Cortex Anatomy and Functions

Apr 22, 2025

Overview of the Cerebral Cortex and its Lobes

Introduction

  • Focus on the lobes of the brain that make up the cerebral cortex.
  • The main areas of discussion will be the cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain, divided into the right and left hemisphere by the longitudinal fissure and connected by the corpus callosum.
  • The cerebellum and brain stem will be covered in future videos.

Structure of the Cerebrum

  • The cerebrum's surface has gyri (peaks) and sulci (grooves) to increase surface area.
  • Composed of gray matter (cerebral cortex) and white matter.
  • Divided into four lobes: Frontal, Parietal, Occipital, and Temporal lobes.

Frontal Lobe

  • Location: Front of the brain.
  • Functions: Action (mental and physical)
    • Mental actions: Executive functions (planning, problem-solving, motivation, judgment, decision making, impulse control, social behavior, personality, memory, learning, reward, and attention).
    • Physical actions: Motor control (voluntary muscle movements, eye movements, speech production).
  • Key Areas:
    • Pre-central gyrus (Primary Motor Cortex) - Initiates voluntary muscle movements.
    • Motor Association Cortex - Planning and coordination of movement.
    • Frontal Eye Field - Voluntary eye movements.
    • Prefrontal Cortex - Executive functions.
    • Broca’s Area - Speech production.

Parietal Lobe

  • Location: Behind the frontal lobe.
  • Functions: Somatosensory.
    • Awareness of sensations like touch, pain, temperature, pressure, and vibration.
    • Processing and analyzing sensory information, proprioception.
  • Key Areas:
    • Postcentral gyrus (Primary Somatosensory Cortex) - Conscious awareness of somatic sensations.
    • Somatosensory Association Cortex - Processing and analysis of sensory stimuli.
    • Posterior Association Area - Integration of sensory stimuli, aiding proprioception.

Occipital Lobe

  • Location: Back of the brain.
  • Functions: Vision.
    • Conscious awareness of visual stimuli.
    • Processing and analysis of visual information.
  • Key Areas:
    • Primary Visual Cortex - Awareness of visual stimuli.
    • Visual Association Cortex - Processing and understanding visual stimuli.

Temporal Lobe

  • Location: Side of the brain.
  • Functions: Auditory.
    • Conscious awareness and processing of auditory stimuli.
    • Associated with smell and language comprehension.
  • Key Areas:
    • Primary Auditory Cortex - Awareness of auditory stimuli.
    • Auditory Association Cortex - Processing auditory information.
    • Wernicke’s Area - Language comprehension.
    • Olfactory Cortex - Smell perception and analysis.

Insular Cortex

  • Location: Inside the lateral sulcus.
  • Functions: Taste, visceral sensation, autonomic control, and equilibrium.

Limbic Lobe

  • Part of the limbic system, including components like the amygdala and hippocampus.
  • Functions: Learning, memory, emotions, behavior, and smell.

Tips for Remembering Lobe Functions

  • Frontal Lobe: "Motor" of a car - driving force, controls motor movement and executive functions.
  • Parietal Lobe: "P's" - proprioception, pressure, pain, position.
  • Occipital Lobe: "Binoculars" - vision.
  • Temporal Lobe: "Tempo of songs" - auditory functions.
  • Limbic System: "Love and learning" - emotions and memory.

These notes cover the anatomy and functions of each lobe of the cerebral cortex, providing a detailed breakdown of their locations, boundaries, primary functions, and associated cortical areas.

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