23.1 Cortex Flashcards
What are the different types of cortex?
Neocortex
Allocortex
What is the neocortex?
Found only in mammals and is the newest part of the brain to evolve
Largest part of the cerebral cortex containig six horizontal layers of grey matter
What is the neocortex derived from?
Dorsal telencephalon (rostral part of the forebrain)
What is found in the allocortex?
Three layered structure containing the olfactory system and hippocampus
How many layers are found in the neocortex?
6
How many layers makes up the hippocampus?
3
How is the cerebral cortex different from the cerebrum?
Cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the cerebrum made up of grey matter
What is layer I known as?
Molecular layer
What is found in layer I?
Occupied by dendrites of cells in deeper layers
What is layer II known as?
External granule layer
What is found in the external granule layer?
(layer II)
Contains small spherical (stellate) neurons
What is layer III known as?
External pyramidal cell layer
What is found in layer III?
External pyramidal layer
Contains pyramidal cells
What is layer IV known as?
Internal granule layer
What is found in layer IV? What is its main function?
Contains a large number of small spherical (stellate/granular) neurons and a smaller portion of pyramidal cells
Receives the largest sensory input (e.g. primary somatosensory cortex has prominent IV layer)
What are areas with a prominent layer IV known as?
Granular cortex
What is layer V known as?
Internal pyramidal
What is contained in layer V?
Medium and large pyramidal cells
SOURCE OF OUTPUT
What is layer VI known as?
Multiform (fusiform) layer
What is contained within layer VI?
Fusiform cells with dendrites projecting to superficial cortical regions and axons projecting to thalamus and commissural fibres
Some pyramidal cells and interneurons
Where do thalamic afferents end in the cortex?
Thalamic afferents end on layer 4/ granular cells.
Where are output pyramidal cells from in the cortex?
Layer 3,5 and 6
What are the three types of efferent fibres within the cortex?
Comissural
Association
Projection
What are commissural fibres?
Axons of pyramidal cells from layers III and IV which cross the midline to terminate in the corresponding cortical area of the contralateral hemisphere