cytoarchitecture

n. the arrangement of cells in organs and tissues, particularly those in the neocortex. The different types of cortical cells are organized in cortical layers and zones. The number of layers varies in different brain areas, but a typical section of neocortex shows six distinct layers. Differences in cytoarchitecture have been used to divide the neocortex into 50 or more regions, many of which differ in function. The scientific study of the cytoarchitecture of an organ is called cytoarchitectonics. Also called architectonic structure. See also Brodmann’s area. —cytoarchitectural adj.

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Psychology term of the day

May 10th 2024

urban legend

an incredible or lurid story, often involving a mixture of horror and humor, that is widely repeated as if true (often as the experience of a “friend of a friend”) but can never be firmly documented. Urban legends differ from myths and folktales in that they nearly always have a contemporary setting and often involve modern technology (e.g., the many such tales about microwave ovens).