Neocortex

File:Gray754.png

Neocortex

File:Layers of the neocortex.png

Layers of the Neocortex

File:Cortical Minicolumn.png

Cortical Minicolumn

The Neocortex is a part of the brain of mammals. It is the outer layer of the cerebral hemispheres, and is made up of six layers, labelled I to VI (with VI being the innermost and I being the outermost). The neocortex is involved in higher functions such as sensory perception, generation of motor commands, spatial reasoning, conscious thought, and in humans, language.

Structure

The neocortex is the largest part of the cerebral cortex, which also includes the archicortex and paleocortex, which are cortical parts of the limbic system. It is a bilaterally symmetrical structure, with the two halves being separated by a deep groove, the longitudinal fissure.

Function

The neocortex plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is thought to be the most recently evolved part of the cortex; the other parts being the entorhinal cortex and the perirhinal cortex.

Evolution

The neocortex represents a much larger portion of the brain in mammals than in most other animals, and its size relative to the rest of the brain varies widely across mammalian species. In primates, and especially in humans, the neocortex occupies the bulk of the cerebral hemispheres, overshadowing all other parts.

See also

• Cerebral cortex
• Cerebrum
• Limbic system
• Brain

References

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External links

• Neocortex at Britannica

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