In anatomy those parts of the cortex that are not projection areas tend to be involved with the integration of sensory information or of motor commands.
An area of cerebral cortex that lies away from the main areas that are concerned with the reception of sensory impulses and the start of motor impulses but is linked to them by many neurons known as association fibers. The areas of association are thought to be responsible for the elaboration of the information received by the primary sensory areas and its correlation with the information fed in from memory and from other brain areas. They are thus responsible for the maintenance of many higher mental activities.
Area of the cerebral cortex connected to motor and sensory areas of the same side, to similar areas on the other side, and to other regions of the brain (e.g., the thalamus). It integrates motor and sensory functions.
Within the cortex, the outer layer of the brain, association areas play a vital role in higher-level cognitive functions. These areas are responsible for interpreting information received from sensory areas and facilitating appropriate responses, including voluntary movements. Through their complex processing capabilities, association areas contribute to various aspects of mental activity, enabling us to engage in sophisticated cognitive processes and interact with the world around us.