What is the "cerebral cortex"?

What is the "cerebral cortex"?

Charles Ribak, Ph.D. (Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology, UC Irvine School of Medicine) gives expert video advice on: What is the "cerebellum" and how does it factor into epilepsy?; What is the "frontal lobe" and how does it factor into epilepsy? and more...

The cerebral cortex is a six-layered neuronal structure that is on the outside portion of the entire forebrain. So, on the cerebral hemisphere, the entire outside is the cerebral cortex. It's a six-layered structure, and it is broken into four lobes. We talk about four different lobes, and we utilise the four main cranial bones that overlie the cortex to define those regions. So, we have a frontal bone, and behind the frontal bone is frontal cortex; the frontal cerebral cortex. The temporal bone, just above the ears. We have, just beneath that, aligned deep to that, is the temporal cortex. Then, we have our parietal cortex that's above it. This region is involved in sensory perception. Last, but not least, is the hardest part of your cranium; the part that if you fall backwards you hit your head on is your occipital bone. Right underneath the occipital bone is occipital cortex. Most of the occipital cortex deals with the function of vision.