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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.
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.

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

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...

Direct Motor Pathways

Direct Motor Pathways

The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and the...

Somatosensation

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.

Association Areas of the Cortex

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,...

Hierarchy of Motor Control

Hierarchy of Motor Control

The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

A Standardized Protocol for Functional Motor Mapping Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A Standardized Protocol for Functional Motor Mapping Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 27, 2026

Mapping of the preferred direction in the motor cortex.

Apostolos P Georgopoulos¹, Hugo Merchant, Thomas Naselaris

¹Brain Sciences Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|June 16, 2007

Summary

Motor cortex cells with similar directional tuning form orderly columns on the cortical surface. This organization reveals a precise map for preferred movement directions, aiding motor control research.

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Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 23, 2020

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Motor Cortex Function
Computational Neuroscience

Background:

Directional tuning is a fundamental property of motor cortex neurons.
Prior research suggested columnar organization of cells with similar preferred directions perpendicular to the cortical surface.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the tangential organization of directional tuning columns in the motor cortex.
To determine the spatial arrangement and dimensions of these columns.

Main Methods:

Microelectrode recordings in the proximal arm area of the motor cortex in monkeys.
Analysis of neural activity during free-reaching 3D movements.
Systematic exploration of the cortical surface.

Main Results:

Directional minicolumns are approximately 30 micrometers wide.
Minicolumns with similar preferred directions often appear in doublets or triplets.
A repeating pattern of columns with similar preferred directions occurs approximately every 240 micrometers, with intermediate directions mapped in a gradient.

Conclusions:

The motor cortex exhibits an orderly spatial map of preferred movement directions.
This organization provides insights into the neural basis of motor control and planning.