The cerebral cortex is divided into right and left hemispheres connected by the corpus callosum. It makes up two-thirds of the brain mass and is where most information processing occurs. The cortex is further divided into lobes that each have specific functions. The frontal lobe is the largest structure and is involved in movement, attention, planning, social skills, abstract thinking, memory, and personality. It contains the motor cortex which controls voluntary movement and Broca's area for language production.

1. THE BRAIN

2. Cerebral Cortex The cerebral cortex is the layer (about 1/10 inch thick) of the brain consisting of folded bulges It encompasses about two-thirds of the brain mass and lies over and around most of the structures of the brain. Most of the actual information processing in the brain takes place in the cerebral cortex.

3. Hemispheres The cerebral cortex is divided into right and left hemispheres. The two hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum.

4. Lobes The cerebral cortex is divided into lobes that each have a specific function.

5. FRONTAL LOBE

6. THE FRONTAL LOBE Largest of the brain’s structures Involved in a number of functions (movement, attention, planning, social skills, abstract thinking, memory and some aspects of personality)

7. Interesting case study #1:Phineas Gage

8. In the frontal lobe…. Motor cortex: initiates voluntary movement The motor cortex located on the left side of the brain controls movement on the right side of the body.

9. Motor Cortex Cells at the top controls muscles at the bottom of the body Cells at the bottom controls muscles at the top of the body

10. Broca’s Area Key substructure in the left frontal lobe at the base of the motor cortex. Involved mainly in production of spoken and written language and language processing. Damage causes Broca’s aphasia (difficulty speaking, putting together grammatical sentences and articulating words, yet comprehending language)

11. Interesting Case Study #2 1960s – Sperry worked with split brain patients (lesion in corpus callosum) Using the left hemisphere, split-brain patients could produce the name of objects held in the right hand without difficulty. If they held the same object in the left hand (controlled by the right hemisphere), the object could not be named.