Every time I ask this question, I feel like the answer sidesteps an actual explanation. Yes, I understand that the folded, wrinkled shape allows for more surface area. The heart of my question is WHY is that important? Like, if the outermost layer of the brain is important, why couldn’t it just be a thicker layer instead of just squishing more outermost layer into a wrinkled shape?
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Wow the other comments are really bad.
The answer is fairly simple: our brains are made up of multiple parts (look up brain regions on Google image) one of the most important is the cerebrum which includes our cortex. The cortex is in charge of many complex processes (eg. Language, social interaction, executive functions such as anticipating or predicting outcomes etc…). This part is like a sheet laid over the rest of your brain.
Now how would you go about fitting a large sheet of paper in a small container ? You might fold it or bundle it, that’s about what happened to our brain.
The folds and creases allow for a bigger surface area — thus more room for more neurons and connections — in a given volume.
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