Association cortex

The association cortex is a part of the cerebral cortex that performs complex cognitive functions. Unlike primary sensory or motor areas, which process specific sensory inputs or motor outputs, the association cortex integrates information from various sources to support higher-order cognitive processes. This integration allows for complex functions such as perception, language, and thought. Therefore, species that possess large amounts of association cortex tend to show advanced reasoning skills.

The association cortex is generally divided into unimodal and heteromodal (or polymodal) areas, which process either a single sensory modality or multiple modalities, respectively.