Two methods for flat-mounting cortical tissue.

Two procedures are described which allow cortical grey matter to be unfolded and flattened. Tangential sections of the flat-mounted tissue can reveal clear histological views of horizontal variations in cortical structure and function; these anatomical variations would be hard to see in sections cut by conventional techniques. Examples are presented from non-human primate tissue, but the technique has also been used successfully in a number of other mammalian species, including man. Advantages and disadvantages of the various methods for extracting topographical patterns from the cortex are discussed.