1. The Cerebral Cortex

2. Cerebral Cortex Cerebral Cortex – the interconnected neural cells that form the cerebral hemispheres This is the body’s ultimate control and information-processing center The cortex covers the lower-level structures The wrinkles allow more brain tissue to be packed into the skull 30 billion nerve cells in 1/8 inch of brain tissue

3. Cerebral Cortex Cont’d Longitudinal fissure – the crack that runs from the front to the back of the cerebral cortex, separating the left and right hemispheres Corpus callosum – band of neural tissue in the longitudinal fissure that allows both sides of the brain to communicate with each other

4. Brain Lobes Frontal lobe – controls your most advanced cognitive abilities, such as judgment and planning The frontal lobes rational abilities connects with regions of the limbic system that controls emotion

5. Brain Lobes Cont’d Parietal Lobes – association areas – region for general processing and mathematical reasoning Occipital Lobes – visual processing centers of the brain Temporal Lobes – area of the brain that deals with auditory cortex and processes sound

6. Brain Lobes Cont’d Motor Cortex – strip of tissue along the back edge of the frontal lobe Different parts of the motor cortex control different parts of your body The motor cortex is cross wired The left side of the motor cortex controls the right side of your body, and the right side of the brain controls the left

7. Brain Lobes Cont’d Somatosensory cortex – area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes the body’s sensations Your somatosensory cortex devotes more brain tissue to areas of your body that are more sensitive to touch Ex. Fingertips vs. Arms

8. Broca’s Area This is located in the Frontal Lobe, on the left- hand side It is involved with expressive language – If Broca’s area has damage, a person will be able to form ideas, but not communicate them with speech – Strokes can lead to this damage

9. Wernicke’s Area This is also located in the left-hand side of the brain, but in the temporal lobe This helps control receptive language – Your ability to understand what someone says, all language comprehension

10. Brain Plasticity This is the ability for the tissue of the brain to assume new functions If an area of the brain is damaged, other areas of the brain can reorganize to assume the responsibility of the damaged area. More plastic in younger years.

13. How a cat’s brain works