Associatiegebieden van de cortex

The association areas of the cortex primarily connect the motor areas with the appropriate sensory areas.

They help interpret sensory information and coordinate motor responses.

For instance, the somatosensory association area interprets the somatic sensory inputs such as touch, pressure, or temperature from the primary somatosensory cortex.

For example, this association area allows the identification of different objects based on their shapes and texture by just touching them.

Additionally, the association areas for special senses include the visual association area for vision, the auditory association area for hearing, and the orbitofrontal area for olfaction.

A specialized association area called the Wernicke's area is located in the left temporal and parietal lobes. It interprets the meaning of words or translates them by recognizing spoken language.

The anterior association area located in the frontal lobe has numerous connections with other areas of the brain, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and also with the cerebellum.

It is involved in complex learning abilities, such as recalling information, or in higher mental functions, such as judgment, decision-making, and abstract thinking.