Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

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,...
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
The Retina01:32

The Retina

The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.
Facial Feedback Hypothesis01:24

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role of...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Comparative evaluation of the sedative efficacy of oral midazolam (0.5 mg/kg vs. 0.75 mg/kg) with papoose board restraint for managing severe dental anxiety in paediatric patients: a retrospective cohort study.

BMC anesthesiology·2026
Same author

De novo fast motion computation in the primate visual cortex.

Cell reports·2026
Same author

Conformal and adhesive gel for stable electrophysiology on hairy animals without shaving.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Localized Nonablative Neuromodulatory Irradiation of the Nucleus Accumbens Ameliorates Voluntary Excessive Alcohol Consumption in Miniature Pigs.

Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society·2025
Same author

Cortical direction selectivity increases from the input to the output layers of visual cortex.

PLoS biology·2025
Same author

Neuronal representation of visual working memory content in the primate primary visual cortex.

Science advances·2024
Same journal

Endogenous peptide derived from c-Cbl-associated protein counteracts its inhibitory effect on enteric neural crest cell colonization in Hirschsprung disease.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Drowsiness alters the neural dynamics but not the core computations of multisensory integration.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

A Matter of Parameters: Tailored Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Enhances Cortico-Thalamo-Cortical Circuit Resonance.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Proactive visual and motor prioritization differentially scale with cue reliability.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Erratum: Yao et al., "Estrogen Regulates Bcl-w and Bim Expression: Role in Protection against β-Amyloid Peptide-Induced Neuronal Death".

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Erratum: L'Episcopo et al., "Plasticity of Subventricular Zone Neuroprogenitors in MPTP (1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine) Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease Involves Cross Talk between Inflammatory and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathways: Functional Consequences for Neuroprotection and Repair".

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

"Black" responses dominate macaque primary visual cortex v1.

Chun-I Yeh1, Dajun Xing, Robert M Shapley

  • 1Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, 10036, USA. ciy@cns.nyu.edu

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|September 25, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Humans detect black better than white due to an imbalance in visual processing. This study found more "black-dominant" neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1), suggesting V1 amplifies this black-over-white preference.

More Related Videos

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex
08:42

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

Automated Visual Cognitive Tasks for Recording Neural Activity Using a Floor Projection Maze
11:15

Automated Visual Cognitive Tasks for Recording Neural Activity Using a Floor Projection Maze

Published on: February 20, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex
08:42

Monocular Visual Deprivation and Ocular Dominance Plasticity Measurement in the Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

Published on: February 8, 2020

Automated Visual Cognitive Tasks for Recording Neural Activity Using a Floor Projection Maze
11:15

Automated Visual Cognitive Tasks for Recording Neural Activity Using a Floor Projection Maze

Published on: February 20, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Visual information travels via ON-center (white) and OFF-center (black) channels.
  • While retinal and thalamic responses are balanced, humans perceive decrements (black) faster and better than increments (white).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural basis of the black-over-white perception bias in the primary visual cortex (V1).
  • To determine if V1 generates or amplifies the observed psychophysical preference.

Main Methods:

  • Single-cell recordings were performed in the primary visual cortex (V1) of macaque monkeys.
  • Neuronal dominance for black (OFF) versus white (ON) stimuli was assessed in different V1 layers.

Main Results:

  • Layer 4c, the main input layer to V1, showed nearly equal numbers of black- and white-dominant neurons.
  • Corticocortical output layers (2/3) of V1 exhibited a substantial predominance of black-dominant neurons.
  • This OFF-neuron dominance in output layers was significantly larger than observed in whole V1 populations in human studies.

Conclusions:

  • The primary visual cortex (V1) generates or significantly amplifies the black-over-white preference.
  • The predominance of OFF-center neurons in V1 output layers likely explains enhanced human detection of black stimuli.
  • Findings align with human EEG/fMRI data showing stronger V1 responses to decrements, but highlight a larger imbalance in macaque V1 output layers.