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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.

Vision

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.

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...

Visual System

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...

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,...

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological states or needs.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

Cortical neurons combine visual cues about self-movement.

Nobuya Sato¹, Sarita Kishore, William K Page

¹Department of Physiological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.

Experimental Brain Research

|September 21, 2010

Summary

Neurons in the dorsal medial superior temporal (MSTd) cortex integrate optic flow and object motion to represent self-movement. These neurons combine visual cues, demonstrating both additive and non-additive responses to landmarks and animate objects.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

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Published on: June 13, 2019

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

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Published on: August 1, 2018

Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Published on: November 9, 2011

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Visual Neuroscience

Background:

Self-movement perception relies on visual cues like optic flow and object motion.
The dorsal medial superior temporal (MSTd) cortex is crucial for processing self-motion information.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how dorsal medial superior temporal (MSTd) cortical neurons integrate optic flow and object motion cues.
To understand the neural mechanisms underlying self-movement representation during translation on a circular path.

Main Methods:

Recorded neural activity from MSTd neurons in monkeys.
Presented stimuli simulating optic flow and object motion (landmarks, animate objects) during fixation.
Analyzed neural responses to various combinations of optic flow and object motion.

Main Results:

MSTd neurons showed additive response interactions between optic flow and object motion.
A significant number of neurons exhibited sub- and super-additive responses.
Response properties reflected both local (spatial arrangement) and global (temporal sequence) motion sensitivities.

Conclusions:

MSTd neurons integrate optic flow and object motion cues to represent self-movement.
The spatio-temporal response properties of MST neurons are key to representing self-motion in complex environments.
These findings elucidate neural computations for navigation and environmental interaction.