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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.

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...

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...

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: May 22, 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

Gating and control of primary visual cortex by pulvinar.

Gopathy Purushothaman¹, Roan Marion, Keji Li

¹Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. gopathy.purushothaman@vanderbilt.edu

Nature Neuroscience

|May 8, 2012

Summary

The lateral pulvinar nucleus powerfully controls visual information outflow from the primary visual cortex (V1). Manipulating pulvinar activity gates V1 responses, demonstrating its crucial role in visual processing.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Visual System Research
Thalamic Function

Background:

The primary visual cortex (V1) receives input from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN).
The lateral pulvinar nucleus also projects to V1, but its function is poorly understood.
Understanding pulvinar influence on V1 is key to deciphering visual information flow.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of the lateral pulvinar nucleus in modulating activity within the primary visual cortex (V1).
To determine how lateral pulvinar neural activity influences visual information processing and outflow from V1.

Main Methods:

Used reversible inactivation and focal excitation techniques to manipulate lateral pulvinar neural activity in prosimian primates.
Assessed the impact of these manipulations on supra-granular layers of V1, which project to higher visual areas.
Recorded V1 neuronal responses to visual stimuli and analyzed changes in receptive field properties.

Main Results:

Inactivating the lateral pulvinar abolished V1 neuronal responses to visual stimulation.
Exciting the lateral pulvinar significantly increased and re-oriented V1 responses, while suppressing responses in surrounding areas.
Lateral pulvinar manipulation affected V1 responses even after LGN lesions, highlighting its independent control.

Conclusions:

The lateral pulvinar nucleus exerts powerful top-down control over information outflow from V1.
This nucleus acts as a critical gatekeeper, modulating visual signal transmission to higher cortical areas.
Findings reveal a significant, previously underappreciated role for the lateral pulvinar in visual processing.