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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...

Parallel Processing

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 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,...

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

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

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

Published on: August 1, 2018

Distinct mechanisms for coding of visual actions in macaque temporal cortex.

Joris Vangeneugden¹, Patrick A De Mazière, Marc M Van Hulle

¹Laboratorium voor Neuro- en Psychofysiologie, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Medical School, Campus Gasthuisberg, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|January 14, 2011

Summary

Rhesus monkey temporal cortex neurons distinguish action direction and sequence. Neurons primarily signal momentary pose but also use pose sequence for recognizing learned actions.

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Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

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Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging

Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging

Published on: December 12, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

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

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

Published on: August 1, 2018

Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis

Published on: November 9, 2011

Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging

Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging

Published on: December 12, 2012

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Primate Vision
Action Perception

Background:

Temporal cortical neurons respond to dynamic visual action displays.
Previous studies on biological motion perception primarily used human data or stationary stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how rhesus monkey temporal cortex neurons encode locomotion.
To differentiate between coding of form/motion (facing direction) and motion sequence (forward/backward walking).

Main Methods:

Recorded single-unit activity in the superior temporal sulcus and inferior temporal cortex of macaques.
Presented movies of stationary walkers with varied form/motion or frame sequences.
Utilized support vector machines to classify neural population responses.

Main Results:

Most neurons were selective for facing direction, fewer for forward vs. backward walking.
Classification of forward/backward walking improved by considering within-action pose modulation.
Responses to static poses predicted responses during action; some neurons showed sequence signaling.

Conclusions:

Temporal cortical neurons employ distinct mechanisms for action analysis.
Neurons predominantly signal momentary pose, but also sensitivity to pose sequence aids action recognition.
Both static pose and motion information contribute to action sequence signaling.