Can a person survive if a portion of the cerebral cortex is damaged or removed?
1 Answer
Yes.
Explanation:
The cerebral cortex is the superficial layer of the brain that consists mostly of neuron cell bodies. We can divide the cerebral cortex into regions that have specific functions called functional areas. Each area of the cerebral cortex can have a sensory function, a motor function, or an integrative (association) function. Much of this isn't required to survive, but it does depend on how much of the brain is damaged.
In many cases, a stroke can damage the cerebral cortex. For example, there is a video of a girl named Sarah Scott (you can look her up on youtube) who had a stroke and damaged her left cerebral cortex. She damaged part of the cerebral cortex called Broca's area and a little bit of the surrounding area. The damage wasn't too extensive in that she can still move, feel sensations, and talk. However, she does suffer from Broca's aphasia (difficulty initiating speech). With therapy, she is making progress.
