Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions

Anatomy of the Brain: Major Regions

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It consists of four main parts: the cerebrum, diencephalon, cerebellum, and brainstem.
The cerebrum is the largest section of the brain and divides into left and right hemispheres, separated by a deep fissure. The cerebral outer layer of grey matter — the cerebral cortex — comprises elevations called gyri and shallow groves called sulci. The inner portion of white matter includes long nerve fibers known as axons, which connect various areas...

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...

Organization of the Brain

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...

Brain Imaging

Brain Imaging

Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

ALZHEIMER'S CONGRESS: Further Progress on a.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2007

Same author

NEUROSCIENCE: Synapses Shout to Overcome Distance.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2007

Same author

NEUROSCIENCE: Tips for Neuroscience Neophytes.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2007

Same author

Detangling Alzheimer's disease.

Science of aging knowledge environment : SAGE KE·2003

Same author

Addiction. Beyond the pleasure principle.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2001

Same author

Disability law may cover gene flaws.

Science news·2001

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI

Published on: April 8, 2010

NEUROSCIENCE: Where the Brain Monitors the Body.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|September 6, 2007

Summary

Researchers identified neurons in the parietal cortex (area 5) that integrate multisensory information, crucial for body awareness. This finding advances our understanding of how the brain tracks limb position and movement.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Primate Brain Research

Background:

The neural basis for proprioception and body awareness, or the sense of self-movement and body position, remains incompletely understood.
Identifying brain regions involved in integrating sensory information is key to understanding body schema maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of specific parietal cortex regions in multisensory integration related to body awareness.
To identify neural populations responsible for processing limb proprioception and visual feedback.

Main Methods:

Electrophysiological recordings were performed in the parietal cortex of monkeys.
Neuronal activity was monitored while monkeys received congruent and incongruent visual and sensory feedback from their limbs.

More Related Videos

Juxtacellular Monitoring and Localization of Single Neurons within Sub-cortical Brain Structures of Alert, Head-restrained Rats

Juxtacellular Monitoring and Localization of Single Neurons within Sub-cortical Brain Structures of Alert, Head-restrained Rats

Published on: April 27, 2015

Detecting Pre-Stimulus Source-Level Effects on Object Perception with Magnetoencephalography

Detecting Pre-Stimulus Source-Level Effects on Object Perception with Magnetoencephalography

Published on: July 26, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI

Monitoring Acupuncture Effects on Human Brain by fMRI

Published on: April 8, 2010

Juxtacellular Monitoring and Localization of Single Neurons within Sub-cortical Brain Structures of Alert, Head-restrained Rats

Juxtacellular Monitoring and Localization of Single Neurons within Sub-cortical Brain Structures of Alert, Head-restrained Rats

Published on: April 27, 2015

Detecting Pre-Stimulus Source-Level Effects on Object Perception with Magnetoencephalography

Detecting Pre-Stimulus Source-Level Effects on Object Perception with Magnetoencephalography

Published on: July 26, 2019

Main Results:

A subset of neurons in area 5 of the parietal cortex exhibited heightened firing rates.
This increased activity correlated with the congruence between visual feedback of limb position and proprioceptive signals.
Evidence suggests these neurons are sensitive to the integration of visual and somatosensory information.

Conclusions:

Area 5 of the parietal cortex plays a critical role in multisensory integration necessary for updating the brain's model of the body.
These findings suggest area 5 neurons are involved in the initial processing stages of body awareness and limb tracking.