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Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

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.
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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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Published on: October 24, 2012

Cortical network for vibrotactile attention: a fMRI study.

Harold Burton¹, Robert J Sinclair, Donald G McLaren

¹Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. harold@npg.wustl.edu

Human Brain Mapping

|March 29, 2007

Summary

This study used fMRI to reveal brain activity during tactile attention. Key areas like the parietal operculum (OP1) showed heightened responses, aiding in detecting subtle vibrotactile changes.

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Last Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

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Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Published on: November 8, 2012

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Neuroimaging

Background:

Understanding the neural basis of tactile attention is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.
Previous research has implicated various brain regions in sensory processing, but specific networks for tactile attention remain less defined.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify brain areas activated during tactile attention tasks using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
To investigate how selective versus neutral cuing affects brain responses to vibrotactile stimuli.
To differentiate brain activity patterns between tactile attention and a control task.

Main Methods:

fMRI was employed to measure brain activity in participants performing tactile detection tasks (frequency or duration) with selective or neutral cues.
Data were analyzed using group F-statistic maps, conjunction maps, and time courses, mapped to the PALS B12 atlas.
Repeated-measures MANOVA assessed BOLD signal modulation differences across tasks in predefined regions of interest (ROIs).

Main Results:

Tactile attention tasks activated contralateral parietal opercular OP1, frontal eye field, and premotor areas, as well as bilateral superior temporal sulcal cortex (BA 22).
Activity was suppressed in ipsilateral OP4 during tactile attention; BA 22 showed greater response with neutral cuing.
A control task suppressed BOLD in OP1/OP4 but enhanced activity in dorsal parietal-frontal regions compared to tactile attention.

Conclusions:

Tactile attention predominantly engages contralateral parietal and frontal regions, with OP1 being particularly sensitive.
Posterior parietal activity may relate to visual attention demands of control tasks, while frontal engagement reflects goal-directed processing.
Distinct neural patterns emerge for tactile attention versus control tasks, highlighting specialized processing networks.