Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
A gyrus is a ridge on the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, which is characterized by its folds. These ridges are separated by grooves called sulci and are essential for increasing the brain's surface area to accommodate more neurons.
The outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain, playing a key role in memory, attention, perception, cognition, awareness, thought, language, and consciousness.
Sulcus: A groove or furrow on the surface of the brain that separates gyri.