neocortex

[nee-oh-kawr-teks]

noun

plural

neocortices 

1. the largest and evolutionarily most recent portion of the cerebral cortex, composed of complex, layered tissue, the site of most of the higher brain functions.

Other Word Forms

• neocortical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of neocortex¹

First recorded in 1905–10; neo- + cortex

Example Sentences

Prior to this research, scientists already understood that each night, memories transfer from short-term storage in the hippocampus to long-term storage in the neocortex during slow-wave sleep.

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For this study, the researchers obtained six developing human neocortex tissue samples representing the mid-gestation period, or 15 to 17 weeks post-conception.

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Simultaneously they measured the activity of the parietal cortex, a part of neocortex that sends inputs to the entorhinal cortex.

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Contrary to previous assumptions, nerve cells in the human neocortex are wired differently than in mice.

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The study particularly focused on the neocortex, a brain area responsible for perception and a range of complex functions such learning.

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