The cortex, often called the cerebral cortex, is very important for how we think and process information. It helps us with many complex tasks, like understanding things, making decisions, using language, remembering information, and focusing our attention.
The cortex is divided into four main sections, called lobes, and each has its own special jobs:
Frontal Lobe: This part helps with thinking skills, problem-solving, and planning. It makes up about 29% of the entire brain.
Parietal Lobe: This lobe helps us combine sensory information and understand where we are in space. It accounts for about 24% of the cortex.
Temporal Lobe: This area is important for hearing, understanding language, and remembering things. It takes up roughly 22% of the cortex.
Occipital Lobe: This lobe is mainly focused on vision. It covers about 15% of the cortex.
The cortex is made up of different layers, with a lot of special cells known as pyramidal cells. These cells are crucial because they connect widely, allowing different parts of the brain to share and process information effectively.
The cortex also has an amazing synapses, which are connections between the brain cells that let them communicate with each other. These connections are really important for learning and remembering things. When we learn, these synapses can change and grow stronger. For example, a process called long-term potentiation (LTP) can boost the strength of these connections by 20-60%.
When something goes wrong in the cortex, it can lead to problems in how we think. For example, if someone hurts their frontal lobe, they might struggle with planning or making decisions. Or if the temporal lobe is damaged, they could have trouble remembering information.
Scientists use tools like fMRI to see how active the cortex is when we’re doing something that requires thinking hard. They found that blood flow in the cortex can increase by up to during these tasks compared to when we are resting. This shows how much energy the brain needs to process information.
In short, the cortex is essential for how we think, with each part playing a specific role. It also supports a network of brain cells and can adapt, which is important for learning and change.
The cortex, often called the cerebral cortex, is very important for how we think and process information. It helps us with many complex tasks, like understanding things, making decisions, using language, remembering information, and focusing our attention.
The cortex is divided into four main sections, called lobes, and each has its own special jobs:
Frontal Lobe: This part helps with thinking skills, problem-solving, and planning. It makes up about 29% of the entire brain.
Parietal Lobe: This lobe helps us combine sensory information and understand where we are in space. It accounts for about 24% of the cortex.
Temporal Lobe: This area is important for hearing, understanding language, and remembering things. It takes up roughly 22% of the cortex.
Occipital Lobe: This lobe is mainly focused on vision. It covers about 15% of the cortex.
The cortex is made up of different layers, with a lot of special cells known as pyramidal cells. These cells are crucial because they connect widely, allowing different parts of the brain to share and process information effectively.
The cortex also has an amazing synapses, which are connections between the brain cells that let them communicate with each other. These connections are really important for learning and remembering things. When we learn, these synapses can change and grow stronger. For example, a process called long-term potentiation (LTP) can boost the strength of these connections by 20-60%.
When something goes wrong in the cortex, it can lead to problems in how we think. For example, if someone hurts their frontal lobe, they might struggle with planning or making decisions. Or if the temporal lobe is damaged, they could have trouble remembering information.
Scientists use tools like fMRI to see how active the cortex is when we’re doing something that requires thinking hard. They found that blood flow in the cortex can increase by up to during these tasks compared to when we are resting. This shows how much energy the brain needs to process information.
In short, the cortex is essential for how we think, with each part playing a specific role. It also supports a network of brain cells and can adapt, which is important for learning and change.