Unit III: Biological Bases of Behavior Module 12 The Cerebral Cortex Cerebral Cortex Regions 12-1 The Cerebral Cortex The cerebral cortex is the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres. It is the body’s ultimate control and information processing center. Imagine a Texas hat on your head which is covering the outermost part of your brain – the cor"tex". The Cerebral Cortex Each brain hemisphere is divided into four lobes that are separated by prominent fissures. These lobes are the: frontal lobe (forehead), Freud parietal lobe (top to rear head), Tore occipital lobe (back of head), his and Pants temporal lobe (side of head). Off The Cerebral Cortex The frontal lobe is where complex thinking occurs. Use “front door” as your mnemonic. Put the front door on your forehead and put Einstein (complex thinker) behind the door. The Cerebral Cortex The temporal lobe is where auditory processing occurs. Use “tempo” as your mnemonic and picture a metronome above your ear (where the temporal lobe is located) The Cerebral Cortex The parietal lobe processes sensory information. Use a “piranha” fish as your mnemonic. The piranha bites you on the top of the head (where the parietal lobe is located). That’s a sensation the parietal lobe would process! The Cerebral Cortex The occipital lobe processes visual information. Use the “Occ” part of the word Occipital and imagine an octopus. Then, picture eyeballs instead of suckers on the tentacles. Functions of the Cortex 12-1 The motor cortex is the area at the rear of the frontal lobes that control voluntary movements. The sensory cortex (parietal cortex) receives information from skin surface and sense organs. Figure 12.2, p. 105 Association Areas: 12-1 Phineas Gage • A 19th century American railroad construction foreman • In 1848, survived of an accident in which a large iron rod was driven completely through his head, destroying much of his brain's left frontal lobe • The first case suggesting that damage to specific regions of the brain might affect personality and behavior. Brain and Behavior: Phineas Gage The Brain’s Plasticity 12-2 The Brain’s Plasticity 12-2 Plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to modify itself after some types of injury or illness. Neurogenesis, the formation of new neurons, has been found in adult mice, birds, monkeys, and humans.