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Related Concept Videos

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,...
Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
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...
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.
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.

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Operant Protocols for Assessing the Cost-benefit Analysis During Reinforced Decision Making by Rodents
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Does the orbitofrontal cortex signal value?

Geoffrey Schoenbaum1, Yuji Takahashi, Tzu-Lan Liu

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. gscho002@umaryland.edu

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|December 8, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is crucial for learning how to associate cues with outcomes. New research suggests the OFC signals subjective value, guiding behavior when specific outcome information is needed.

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Published on: September 10, 2018

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Behavioral Psychology

Background:

  • The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has a well-established role in associative learning.
  • Early research highlighted the OFC's importance in adapting learned behaviors and encoding associative information.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review neurophysiological and behavioral data on the OFC's function.
  • To propose a unifying theory reconciling value signaling and specific outcome-based learning in the OFC.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing neurophysiological studies on orbitofrontal cortex neurons.
  • Analysis of sophisticated behavioral experiments investigating OFC function.

Main Results:

  • Neurophysiological data emphasize the OFC's role in signaling subjective value, independent of external cues or actions.
  • Behavioral studies indicate the OFC is essential for guiding behavior and learning based on specific outcome information, rather than simple value-based actions.

Conclusions:

  • The OFC's function may reconcile signaling subjective value with utilizing specific outcome information for adaptive behavior.
  • A nuanced understanding of OFC function is critical for explaining complex decision-making and learning processes.