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Related Concept Videos

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,...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
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...
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.
Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...

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Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
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The gateway hypothesis of rostral prefrontal cortex (area 10) function.

Paul W Burgess1, Iroise Dumontheil, Sam J Gilbert

  • 1Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology Department, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. p.burgess@psychol.ucl.ac.uk

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|June 6, 2007
PubMed
Summary

The human brain's rostral prefrontal cortex (PFC) supports unique cognitive functions. This region helps us focus attention on external stimuli or internal thoughts, differentiating human cognition.

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Last Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
09:00

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Published on: April 15, 2015

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Published on: October 13, 2023

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
17:06

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

Published on: November 8, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Comparative Cognition

Background:

  • The rostral prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a significant brain region, notably larger in humans.
  • Its specific functions supporting cognition have remained largely unknown until recently.
  • The unique size suggests a role in higher-level cognitive processes central to human capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cognitive functions supported by the rostral prefrontal cortex (PFC).
  • To explore the 'gateway hypothesis' concerning PFC's role in attention and mental processing.
  • To elucidate the neural basis of human-specific cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing neuroscientific and cognitive psychology research.
  • Theoretical framework development based on the 'gateway hypothesis'.
  • Comparative analysis of cognitive functions across species, focusing on PFC involvement.

Main Results:

  • The rostral PFC is proposed to mediate attentional control.
  • It enables selective attention towards either external environmental stimuli or internal mental representations ('thoughts').
  • This mechanism is hypothesized to operate at a novel degree in humans.

Conclusions:

  • The rostral PFC plays a critical role in advanced attentional control, central to human cognition.
  • Understanding rostral PFC functions offers insights into the evolution of human mental abilities.
  • The 'gateway hypothesis' provides a framework for future research into human-PFC interactions.