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Related Concept Videos

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.
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.
Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
Parallel Processing01:20

Parallel Processing

The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
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,...

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Reversible Cooling-induced Deactivations to Study Cortical Contributions to Obstacle Memory in the Walking Cat
09:43

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Published on: December 11, 2017

Decoding cognitive control in human parietal cortex.

Michael Esterman1, Yu-Chin Chiu, Benjamin J Tamber-Rosenau

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-2686, USA. esterman@jhu.edu

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|October 7, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cognitive control relies on the medial superior parietal lobule (mSPL). Brain activity patterns in the mSPL reveal domain-specific cognitive control mechanisms, demonstrating stability across tasks and time.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Cognitive control enables efficient task execution by reconfiguring task sets.
  • Prefrontal and parietal cortex networks are implicated in cognitive control.
  • A key question is whether cognitive control mechanisms are domain-independent or domain-specific.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether a common or separate mechanisms control task set shifts across different domains.
  • To examine the role of the medial superior parietal lobule (mSPL) in domain-independent cognitive control.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
  • Event-related multivoxel pattern classification was used to analyze brain activity patterns.
  • Tasks included shifting visuospatial attention, switching categorization rules, and shifting attention in working memory.

Main Results:

  • Spatial patterns of brain activity within the mSPL reliably indicate the specific domain of cognitive control being utilized.
  • These brain activity patterns demonstrated stability over time and across different tasks.
  • Evidence supports the mSPL as a source of domain-independent cognitive control.

Conclusions:

  • The medial superior parietal lobule (mSPL) plays a crucial role in domain-independent cognitive control.
  • Moment-to-moment cognitive control demands are reflected in distinct spatiotemporal brain patterns within the mSPL.
  • These findings provide insight into the neural basis of cognitive flexibility.