Neuroanatomy of the Ferret Brain with Focus on the Cerebral Cortex

This chapter discusses the brain anatomy of ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). The cerebral cortex of adult ferrets is folded into several gyri and sulci, which makes them an attractive model for studying factors influencing the development and organization of the cortical mantle. The chapter first presents an overview, and then goes on to describe the development of the cerebral cortex. The primary or striate visual cortex (area 17) spans the occipital ridge of the ferret brain across its ventral/lateral to dorsomedial extent. The two primary auditory areas, A1 and AAF, are located on the dorsal-most middle ectosylvian gyrus (MEG). As with other sensory systems, several similarities in the organization of somatosensory cortex have been noted between the ferret and the cat. Numerous regions in the ferret cerebral cortex have been described as having properties of multisensory cortex.