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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,...
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.
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.
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...
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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

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

Space representation in the prefrontal cortex.

Shintaro Funahashi1

  • 1Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. funahashi.shintaro.2z@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Progress in Neurobiology
|April 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Spatial representation in the prefrontal cortex is studied using delayed-response tasks. Understanding neural activity and functional interactions is key to deciphering prefrontal cortex functions in spatial processing.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

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

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Primate Neurophysiology

Background:

  • The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a crucial role in cognitive functions, including spatial representation.
  • Spatial working memory tasks, particularly the delayed-response task, are vital for investigating how the PFC represents and maintains spatial information.
  • Understanding PFC mechanisms is essential for comprehending spatial cognition and its neural underpinnings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying spatial representation in the prefrontal cortex.
  • To explore the role of working memory in prefrontal cortex spatial functions.
  • To analyze the dynamic functional interactions among prefrontal neurons during spatial tasks.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing behavioral tasks, specifically the delayed-response task, to probe spatial information maintenance.
  • Analyzing neuronal activity, focusing on delay-period activity and spatially selective firing patterns.
  • Investigating information flow and dynamic functional connectivity between different neuronal populations within the prefrontal cortex and with other brain regions.

Main Results:

  • Directional delay-period activity in the PFC serves as a neural correlate for maintaining spatial information related to visual cues and saccades.
  • Task-related prefrontal neurons exhibit spatially selective activity, indicating their role in spatial information processing.
  • Evidence suggests information flow from sensory to motor neurons and dynamic changes in spatial representation throughout task trials.

Conclusions:

  • The prefrontal cortex represents spatial information through specific neuronal activities and dynamic functional interactions.
  • Understanding the interplay between prefrontal cortex neurons and other cortical/subcortical areas is critical for a comprehensive model of spatial representation.
  • Further research into these functional interactions will elucidate the PFC's role in spatial cognition.