The term cortex refers to a specific region or layer in an organism's body. In humans, it is commonly used to describe the outermost layer of brain tissue that is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as thinking, reasoning and memory. The cerebral cortex, which covers the surface of the brain, contains billions of neurons interconnected in a highly complex network.
In addition to its use in reference to human brains, "cortex" can also refer to other structures within an organism's body such as the skin or bark of a tree. In these cases, it refers to the outermost layer or surface of the structure.