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Association Areas of the Cortex

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2025

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

Comparative transcriptomics reveals human-specific cortical features.

Nikolas L Jorstad¹, Janet H T Song^2,3,4,5, David Exposito-Alonso^2,3,4,5

¹Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|October 12, 2023

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Human brain evolution reveals few genetic changes define distinct cognitive abilities. Comparative transcriptomics shows minimal gene expression differences in adult human neocortex compared to other primates.

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Last Updated: Jul 13, 2025

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function

Electroporation of Sliced Human Cortical Organoids for Studies of Gene Function

Published on: November 29, 2024

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcription Dynamics from Brain Samples Following Behavioral Experience

Published on: August 26, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Evolutionary Biology
Genomics

Background:

Human cognitive abilities are unique, but the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain unclear.
Understanding primate brain evolution requires comparative analysis of neural tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify human-specific molecular and cellular features of the neocortex.
To investigate the evolutionary trajectory of neural cell types and gene expression in the human lineage.

Main Methods:

Comparative single-nucleus transcriptomics.
Analysis of middle temporal gyrus (MTG) samples from humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, rhesus macaques, and marmosets.
Examination of cell-type composition, laminar organization, and gene expression patterns.

Main Results:

Human, chimpanzee, and gorilla MTG share similar cell composition and organization.
A significant shift in deep-layer neuron proportions was observed in great apes compared to macaques and marmosets.
Neuronal gene expression diverged more rapidly in the human lineage, with only a few hundred genes showing human-specific patterns.

Conclusions:

Relatively few genetic and cellular changes distinguish the adult human neocortex.
These subtle molecular differences may underlie distinct human cognitive functions.
Comparative transcriptomics is a powerful tool for understanding primate brain evolution.