12.4.1 Forebrain

• The forebrain consists of cerebrum, thalamus and hypothalamus with cerebrum forming a major part of the human brain.
• A deep cleft divides the cerebrum longitudinally into two halves, which are termed as the left and right cerebral hemispheres. The hemispheres are connected by a tract of nerve fibres called corpus callosum.
• The layer of cells which covers the cerebral hemisphere is called cerebral cortex and is thrown into prominent folds.
• why is the cerebral cortex referred to as the grey matter


  contains neuron cell bodies
• The cerebral cortex contains:

  1. Motor areas
  2. Sensory areas
  3. Large regions that are neither clearly sensory nor motor in function
• Association areas are responsible for complex functions like intersensory associations, memory and communication.