Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do the central sulcus and lateral sulcus divide the cerebral cortex?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
nervous system
In a myelinated axon, the myelin sheath prevents the local current (small black arrows) from flowing across the membrane. This forces the current to travel down the nerve fibre to the unmyelinated nodes of Ranvier, which have a high concentration of ion channels. Upon stimulation, these ion channels propagate the action potential (large green arrows) to the next node. Thus, the action potential jumps along the fibre as it is regenerated at each node, a process called saltatory conduction. In an unmyelinated axon, the action potential is propagated along the entire membrane, fading as it diffuses back through the membrane to the original depolarized region.
The cerebral cortex is organized into distinct lobes defined by a consistent pattern of gyri (convolutions) and sulci (fissures). Two major sulci on the lateral surface of each hemisphere serve as primary boundaries for these regions:1
- Central Sulcus: Also known as the fissure of Rolando, this structure separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.1
- Lateral Sulcus: Also called the fissure of Sylvius, this deeper sulcus forms the boundary that separates the temporal lobe from both the frontal and parietal lobes.1
These anatomical landmarks are essential for mapping the functional areas of the brain, such as the primary motor region located rostral to the central sulcus and the primary auditory area situated near the margin of the lateral sulcus.1