New map lays out cerebral cortex

Neuroscientists acting as cartographers of the human mind have devised the most comprehensive map ever made of the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions such as abstract thought, language and memory.

Using MRI images from the brains of 210 people, the researchers said on Wednesday they were able to pinpoint 180 distinct areas in the cerebral cortex, the brain's thin, wrinkly outermost layer made of so-called gray matter.

These areas were present in both the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex. More than half, 97, were previously unknown. The researchers nailed down the specific function of some of the areas, but said they were only scratching the surface in understanding what all of the areas did.