The complex functions of the brain that lead to the most involved features of our behavior are linked to the cerebral cortex.
The cerebral cortex is the most recently evolved region of the brain.
It is comprised of a thin sheet that overlays the forebrain, covering surface bumps on the brain as well as indentations.
The word cortex is derived from Latin and translates to “bark of the tree”. The cerebral cortex is about 1/8” thick and is comprised of many different regions.
One of the functions of the cortex is to receive information from our senses so that we can process information about our world.
What we see is processed by the visual cortex in the occipital lobe, what we hear is processed by the auditory cortex in our temporal lobe,
and sensations from our skin are processed in the somatosensory cortex in the long bump at the front part of the parietal lobe.
Another vital function of the brain is its management of our motor skills.
These movement tasks are performed by the motor cortex - a small bump at the back of the frontal lobe.
The motor cortex and somatosensory cortex are right across from each other along one of the major grooves in our brain.
The somatosensory cortex is located along the front bump of the parietal lobes.
It registers sensations that arise form the skin and inside the body.
The auditory cortex located in the temporal lobes. It processes information from the ear.
The visual cortex is located in the occipital lobes. It processes information from the eye.
The Motor cortex is located along the back bump of the frontal lobes. It is important in voluntary movement.