cerebral cortex

[suh-ree-bruhl kawr-teks, ser-uh-]

noun

1. the furrowed outer layer of gray matter in the cerebrum of the brain, associated with higher brain functions such as voluntary movement, learning, memory, coordination of sensory information, and the expression of individuality.

cerebral cortex

1. The layer of gray matter in vertebrates that covers the cerebral hemispheres and is composed of folds of neurons and axons. The cerebral cortex is responsible for higher functions of the nervous system, including voluntary muscle activity and learning, language, and memory.

cerebral cortex

1. The surface layer of gray tissue of the cerebrum, frequently called the gray matter. The large size of the cerebral cortex in humans distinguishes them from other animals. Specific parts of the cortex control specific functions, including sensation, voluntary muscle movement, thought, reasoning, and memory.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cerebral cortex¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The brain-related markers included a thinner cerebral cortex, white matter changes linked to vascular disease, and reduced or uneven blood flow.

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Neuroscientists typically ascribe consciousness and abstract thought to the cerebral cortex, which evolved later in human evolution and wraps around the brain's outer layer in folded gray matter.

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Results show that DRN serotonin stimulation causes activation of the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia, brain areas involved in many cognitive functions.

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This technical advance allowed them to identify previously unseen pathways connecting the brainstem, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain, and cerebral cortex.

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The forebrain, or cerebral cortex, is the largest part of the brain, important for a wide range of function, ranging from cognitive thought, vision, attention and memory.

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