Related Concept Videos
01:27Diencephalon: 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.
01:28Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
01:11Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System
The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
01:23Somatosensory, 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...
01:31What is a Sensory System?
Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
01:14Motor 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.
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.
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A Fully Automated Rodent Conditioning Protocol for Sensorimotor Integration and Cognitive Control Experiments
Published on: April 15, 2014
[Sensory input and basal ganglia].
1Department of Neurology, Fukushima Medical University.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku = Clinical Neurology
|December 1, 2012
Summary
Sensory symptoms in basal ganglia disorders may arise from motor pathway disruptions or altered prefrontal cortex interactions. Dopamine depletion in the basal ganglia exacerbates pain by impairing descending pain modulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Basal Ganglia Disorders
- Sensory Processing
Context:
- Non-motor symptoms, including sensory disturbances, are increasingly recognized in basal ganglia (BG) disorders.
- Existing models describe four closed loops between the cortex and BG, but lack direct sensory cortical-BG pathways.
- Understanding the neural circuitry linking the somatosensory cortex and BG is crucial for explaining sensory deficits.
Purpose:
- To review the fiber connections between the somatosensory cortex and BG to elucidate the mechanisms behind sensory symptoms.
- To explore the relationship between pain and the basal ganglia, particularly the role of dopamine.
- To propose potential mechanisms for somatosensory symptoms in BG disorders.
Summary:
- Evidence suggests an open-loop modulation of BG functions by the somatosensory system, involving connections from the somatosensory cortex to the striatum, globus pallidus, and motor thalamus.
Impact:
- This review highlights the potential role of motor modulation abnormalities and sensory cognitive deficits in the manifestation of sensory symptoms in basal ganglia disorders.
- It underscores the critical role of the dopamine system in regulating pain, with depletion leading to heightened pain sensitivity.
- Findings provide a framework for further research into the neurobiological underpinnings of sensory disturbances and pain in basal ganglia conditions.