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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.
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...
Somatosensation01:33

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.
Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview II01:11

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview II

Each cerebral hemisphere can be divided into three main regions. The outermost region, the cerebral cortex, is a thin layer (2 to 4 millimeters thick) made up of gray matter, consisting of neuron cell bodies, dendrites, glial cells, and blood vessels. The middle region, or white matter, is primarily composed of myelinated nerve fibers organized into three types of large tracts: association fibers, commissures, and projection fibers. Association fibers connect different areas within the same...
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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Functional specializations in human cerebral cortex analyzed using the visible man surface-based atlas.

H A Drury1, D C Van Essen

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. heather@vl.wustl.edu

Human Brain Mapping
|April 22, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a novel surface-based approach to map brain functions. It analyzes functional specializations in the human cerebral cortex using a digital atlas, aiding in understanding sensory processing and brain organization.

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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

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping
13:12

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Published on: August 12, 2019

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:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Anatomy

Background:

  • Analyzing functional specializations in the human cerebral cortex is crucial for understanding brain organization.
  • Previous methods often lack precise spatial localization of cortical functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a surface-based coordinate system for analyzing functional specializations in the human cerebral cortex.
  • To enable stereotactic projection of neuroimaging activation foci onto a standardized cortical surface.

Main Methods:

  • Generated a computerized reconstruction of the Visible Man digital atlas cortical surface.
  • Transformed the surface to the Talairach coordinate system and flattened it.
  • Established a surface-based coordinate system respecting cortical topology.
  • Projected published neuroimaging activation foci onto the cortical flat map.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated a method to link 2D and 3D cortical representations.
  • Successfully projected activation foci from hearing and reading studies onto the cortical flat map.
  • Illustrated the estimation of functional segregation and overlap in sensory processing.

Conclusions:

  • The developed surface-based approach facilitates systematic analysis of functional specialization in the human cerebral cortex.
  • This method allows for precise localization and comparison of functional activations across studies.
  • It provides a valuable tool for investigating the organization of sensory processing in the brain.