Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Perception

Perception

Perception is a fundamental psychological process that enables individuals to organize, interpret, and consciously experience sensory information. This process is crucial for understanding and interacting with the world around us. It includes both bottom-up and top-down processing, each playing a distinct role in how we perceive our environment.
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

Sensory 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...

What is a Sensory System?

What 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.

Factors Affecting Perception

Factors Affecting Perception

Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...

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,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Different learning stabilization processes between wakefulness and sleep.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026

Same author

Editor's Note: Deguelin Analogue SH-1242 Inhibits Hsp90 Activity and Exerts Potent Anticancer Efficacy with Limited Neurotoxicity.

Cancer research·2026

Same author

Effects of household washing methods and post-ripening on the residue dissipation of the systemic fungicides mandestrobin and metconazole in Persimmons.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Unsupervised visual learning is revealed for task-irrelevant natural scenes due to reduced attentional suppression effects in visual areas.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Risk stratification for malignant upgrade in breast atypical hyperplasia: a Korean multi-institutional analysis from academic hospitals.

Korean journal of clinical oncology·2026

Same author

Structure-Property-Function Relationships in Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels for Brain Organoid Vascularization.

Gels (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

Is perceptual learning associated with changes in a sensory region?

Hoon Choi¹, Takeo Watanabe

¹Department of Cognitive, Linguistics and Perceptual Sciences, Brown University 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA.

F1000 Biology Reports

|December 14, 2012

Summary

Perceptual learning improves abilities through experience. This review examines if these improvements involve changes in sensory brain regions, a topic still debated in neuroscience research.

More Related Videos

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity

Published on: November 11, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss

Published on: April 11, 2025

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity

Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity

Published on: November 11, 2017

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Sensory Perception

Background:

Perceptual learning involves long-term enhancement of abilities via experience.
A key debate questions if these enhancements correlate with neural changes in sensory brain areas.
Understanding the neural basis of perceptual learning is crucial for cognitive and clinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To review existing research on the sensory change hypothesis in perceptual learning.
To evaluate evidence supporting or refuting the link between perceptual learning and sensory brain alterations.
To identify future research directions for definitively resolving this controversy.

Main Methods:

Systematic review of empirical studies on perceptual learning.
Analysis of neuroimaging and behavioral data related to sensory processing changes.
Critical evaluation of methodologies and findings in the field.

Main Results:

Evidence exists both for and against the sensory change hypothesis.
Some studies show significant neural alterations in sensory cortices following perceptual learning.
Other studies indicate learning effects without clear sensory cortex modifications, suggesting alternative mechanisms.

Conclusions:

The association between perceptual learning and sensory brain changes remains inconclusive.
Further research employing advanced neuroimaging and rigorous experimental designs is necessary.
Clarifying the neural underpinnings of perceptual learning will advance our understanding of brain plasticity.