Brain scans. Sagittal (sideways) scan through the head, revealing the brain structure. The front of the head is at left. The scan shows the convoluted folds of the outer region, an area that is called the cerebral cortex. This area produces memory and conscious thought. The scan has passed through the centre of the brain, revealing an area (white) inside the brain. This is the area that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. An arrow (centre left) shows a space between the front of the brain and the skull.