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Related Concept Videos

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.
Vision01:24

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 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...
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,...
Visual System01:26

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...
Parallel Processing01:20

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...

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Related Experiment Video

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Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
05:55

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

The network architecture of cortical processing in visuo-spatial reasoning.

Ehsan Shokri-Kojori1, Michael A Motes, Bart Rypma

  • 1Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, 75235-7205, USA. shokri@utdallas.edu

Scientific Reports
|May 25, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Brain imaging reveals how visuo-spatial reasoning involves networks connecting sensory to prefrontal cortex (PFC). Findings suggest a caudal-to-rostral processing flow within the PFC for these tasks.

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Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
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Published on: August 1, 2018

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Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
05:55

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Published on: October 13, 2023

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

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

Published on: August 1, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Brain Imaging

Background:

  • Reasoning is linked to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) but involves brain-wide network interactions.
  • Understanding information flow from sensory to abstract processing regions, especially within the PFC, remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate brain-wide connectivity during visuo-spatial reasoning.
  • To identify the flow of neural processing from sensory areas to the prefrontal cortex (PFC).

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
  • Participants performed a visuo-spatial reasoning task.
  • Brain-wide functional connectivity analysis was conducted.

Main Results:

  • Increased stimulus dimensions correlated with greater occipital, parietal, and caudal-rostral PFC involvement.
  • Interactions between visual and parietal regions influenced frontal lobe activity.
  • Left PFC showed caudal-to-rostral influences; right PFC exhibited bidirectional and independent connectivity patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Visuo-spatial reasoning involves a coordinated recruitment of sensory and prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions.
  • A caudal-to-rostral processing flow within the PFC may characterize reasoning tasks with limited top-down deduction.