Großhirnrinde

The Großhirnrinde, or cerebral cortex, is the outermost layer of the cerebrum in the mammalian brain. It is characterized by its highly folded surface, forming gyri (ridges) and sulci (grooves), which significantly increases its surface area. This expansion allows for a greater number of neurons to be packed into the skull. The Großhirnrinde is responsible for higher-level cognitive functions, including consciousness, thought, memory, language, and voluntary movement. It is divided into two hemispheres, left and right, connected by the corpus callosum, a bundle of nerve fibers. Each hemisphere is further divided into four lobes: the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe. The frontal lobe is associated with planning, decision-making, and personality. The parietal lobe processes sensory information like touch, temperature, and pain. The temporal lobe is involved in auditory processing, memory, and language comprehension. The occipital lobe is primarily responsible for visual processing. The Großhirnrinde is composed of gray matter, which consists mainly of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and glial cells. Beneath the cortex lies white matter, composed of myelinated axons that transmit signals between different brain regions and to the spinal cord. The intricate structure and complex neural circuitry of the Großhirnrinde enable the sophisticated capabilities that define human intelligence.