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- Glossary
Fissure
The strong folding of the cortex (cerebral cortex) creates fissures – from the Latin: cleft. These clefts can be used to describe individual brain structures. For example, the fissura sylvii separates the temporal lobe from the frontal lobe. Less deep clefts are often referred to as sulci.
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Brodmann area
As early as 1909, neuroanatomist Korbinian Brodmann divided the cerebral cortex into different areas. He did this based on histological criteria, distinguishing these areas according to their cellular structure. It later became apparent that these different structures of the cortex are often associated with different specializations.
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Temporo-parietal junction
The transition between the temporal and parietal lobes – i.e., the temporal and parietal lobes – of the cerebral cortex. Here, in the posterior region of the Sylvian fissure, information from the limbic system, the thalamus, and the visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex is integrated. Accordingly, the temporo-parietal junction forms an anatomical and functional hub of the brain that helps us develop complex abilities, including the ability to recognize biological movement or the ability to empathize with other people.
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Simple cell
An orientation-sensitive cell in the primary visual cortex (part of the cerebral cortex) whose receptive field is divided into ON and OFF subfields. For example, it reacts strongly to lines of a certain orientation.
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Broca's area
An area of the prefrontal cortex (cerebral cortex) that is usually located in the left hemisphere. Plays a key role in the motor production of speech. First described by French neurologist Paul Pierre Broca in 1861.
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Medial temporal lobe
The medial part of the temporal lobe contains the hippocampus and a number of other anatomically related structures: the entorhinal, perirhinal, and parahippocampal cortex. Together, they enable us to consciously remember facts and events. This region of the brain is also important for the formation of long-term memory. Deep inside the medial temporal lobe is the amygdala, which is involved in emotion processing, emotional salience, and emotional reinforcement of memories.
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Auditory pathway
The auditory pathway refers to the nerve fibers that transmit acoustic information from the inner ear to the primary auditory cortex. In humans, the auditory pathway consists of five switching points: the spiral ganglion, the auditory nuclei in the brainstem, the inferior colliculus, the medial geniculate body of the thalamus, and the primary auditory cortex.
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Dorsolateral PFC
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is the upper (dorsal) and lateral part of the frontal lobe. It is involved in the planning and regulation of complex motor and intellectual actions. According to one experiment, this also seems to include lying. The dorsolateral PFC regulates these and other abilities in coordination with many other areas of the brain with which it is closely linked.
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Purkinje cell
Purkinje cells are the main output cells of the cerebellar cortex and central switching points of the cerebellum. They have a dense, tree-like dendritic apparatus through which they receive information from thousands of parallel fibers and climbing fibers. Their axons are the only ones that extend out of the cerebellar cortex and project onto the nuclei of the cerebellum, from where signals are transmitted to motor centers. Purkinje cells are among the largest cell types in the cerebellum.
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Cerebrum
The cerebrum comprises the cerebral cortex (gray matter), the nerve fibers (white matter), and the basal ganglia. It is the largest part of the brain. The cortex can be divided into four cortical areas: the temporal lobe, frontal lobe, occipital lobe, and parietal lobe.Its functions include the coordination of perception, motivation, learning, and thinking.
