We have investigated the number of neurons in three neocortical areas of the rat brain. Our results challenge the uniformity concept proposed by Rockel et al. [Brain, 103 (1980) 221-244]. Area Fr1, HL and Oc2 (primary motor, primary somatosensory and secondary visual cortex) from Sprague-Dawley rats were examined. The brains were glutaraldehyde fixed, sectioned in 50 mu m thick sagittal slices and stained in Richardson's solution. The counting was carried out using a computerized system based on the optical disector. The cortical thickness was measured to be 1.9 mm, 1.9 mm, and 1.4 mm in area Fr1, HL, and Oc2, respectively. The number of neurons under 1 mm2 cortical surface was calculated to be 91 100 in Fr1, 133 500 in HL and 106 100 in Oc2. The number of neurons in a volume of tissue 30 x 25 mu m through the depth of the cortex was calculated to be 68 in Fr1, 100 in HL and 80 in Oc2. The density of neurons was calculated to be 48 500 neurons/mm3 in Fr1, 69 400 neurons/mm3 in HL and 76,900 neurons/mm3 in Oc2. There were significant (P < 0.01) differences between all areas regarding both the number of neurons under a certain area of surface as well as the neuron density. The results indicate that there is no basic uniformity in the number of neurons under a certain area of cortical surface.