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Related Concept Videos

What is a Sensory System?01:31

What is a Sensory System?

Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
Visual System01:26

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Defining the cortical visual systems: "what", "where", and "how".

S H Creem1, D R Proffitt

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Rm 502, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0251, USA. sarah.creem@psych.utah.edu

Acta Psychologica
|June 5, 2001
PubMed
Summary

The brain

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • The visual system comprises distinct pathways for object and spatial processing.
  • Historically, ventral ('what') and dorsal ('where') streams were defined.
  • Recent models propose dorsal stream for action-oriented ('how') processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review research defining the roles of ventral and dorsal visual streams.
  • To explore functional and structural organization within these streams.
  • To reconcile 'where' and 'how' system models.

Main Methods:

  • Review of psychophysical studies.
  • Analysis of neurophysiological data.
  • Examination of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings.
Keywords:
NASA Center ARCNASA Discipline Space Human Factors

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Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns

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Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns
09:42

Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns

Published on: May 12, 2019

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

Main Results:

  • Ventral stream processes object identity ('what').
  • Dorsal stream transforms visual information for action ('how').
  • Evidence supports distinct, yet integrated, functional roles.

Conclusions:

  • The posterior parietal lobe may host both 'where' and 'how' systems.
  • Functional specialization and integration are key to visual processing.
  • A unified model reconciling different stream definitions is proposed.