LATERAL
VIEW OF THE FOREBRAIN: BRODMANN’S AREAS
Brodmann’s areas of
the cerebral cortex have unique architectural characteristics in terms of the
thickness and layering of the cerebral cortex; this knowledge is based on
histological observations originally made by Korbinian Brodmann in 1909.
His
numbering of cortical areas is still used as a short- hand for describing the
functional regions of the cortex, particularly those related to sensory
functions. Some overlap exists among functional areas. For example, the motor
cortex is area 4; the primary sensory cortex includes areas 3, 1, and 2; and the
primary visual cortex is area 17.
