Sentence:  Consequently , if for any reason the hypothalamic excitability falls below the physiological level , the lessened hypothalamic cortical discharges lead to a diminished state of activity in the <WSD>cortex</WSD> with consequent reduction in the cortico-fugal discharges . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  the layer of unmyelinated neurons (the grey matter) forming the cortex of the cerebrum