Heterotypic cortex consists of those areas of the mature
neocortex
The neocortex, also called the neopallium, isocortex, or the six-layered cortex, is a set of layers of the mammalian cerebral cortex involved in higher-order brain functions such as sensory perception, cognition, generation of motor commands, sp ...
that deviate markedly from the homogeneous six-layered internal structure seen in the third trimester of
human gestation
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...
. A few neocortical areas, such as
Brodmann area 17
The visual cortex of the brain is the area of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information. It is located in the occipital lobe. Sensory input originating from the eyes travels through the lateral geniculate nucleus in the thalamus and ...
and the
granular insular cortex, undergo modification to more than six layers; and in a few areas, such as
Brodmann area 4
Brodmann area 4 refers to the primary motor cortex of the human brain. It is located in the posterior portion of the frontal lobe.
Brodmann area 4 is part of the precentral gyrus. The borders of this area are: the precentral sulcus in front ( ...
, the number of layers is reduced. Heterotypic cortex is contrasted to homotypic cortex, which retains the fetal six-layered pattern into adulthood. The number of heterotypic areas is small and the specific areas differ somewhat by species.
[ (English translation available as )]
References
External links
* More information a
BrainInfo
Cerebral cortex
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