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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,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits
07:43

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits

Published on: December 27, 2013

Cortico-cortical projections in mouse visual cortex are functionally target specific.

Lindsey L Glickfeld1, Mark L Andermann, Vincent Bonin

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Nature Neuroscience
|January 8, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Higher visual areas receive specific inputs from the primary visual cortex (V1). This precise connection, driven by matched neuron function, ensures targeted information transmission to downstream brain regions.

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Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging
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Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
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Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits
07:43

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits

Published on: December 27, 2013

Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging
11:24

Targeted Labeling of Neurons in a Specific Functional Micro-domain of the Neocortex by Combining Intrinsic Signal and Two-photon Imaging

Published on: December 12, 2012

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Cortex Research
  • Cortical Connectivity

Background:

  • Neurons in the primary sensory cortex exhibit diverse responses, while higher cortical areas are specialized.
  • Specific connectivity is crucial for areal specialization, especially in mice with functionally diverse neighboring neurons.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if higher visual areas receive functionally specific input from the primary visual cortex (V1).
  • To understand the mechanisms underlying the specificity of cortico-cortical communication.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized two-photon calcium imaging to measure responses of V1 axons.
  • Examined axon responses in three higher visual areas with distinct spatial and temporal frequency preferences.

Main Results:

  • Presynaptic boutons in each target area showed distinct visual preferences that matched recipient neuron preferences.
  • This specificity resulted from a higher density and response amplitude of functionally matched boutons, not V1 organization.
  • Projections from layer 5 and secondary visual cortex also demonstrated matched preferences to their target areas.

Conclusions:

  • The transmission of specific information to downstream targets appears to be a general characteristic of cortico-cortical communication.
  • Functional specificity in projections from V1 contributes to the specialization of higher visual areas.