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

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...

Lobes of the Cerebrum

Lobes of the Cerebrum

The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.

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.

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,...

Parallel Processing

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...

Lateralization

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Listening to a Consonant Chord Progression during Live Face-to-Face Gaze Enhances Neural Activity in Social Systems.

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

Same author

Investigating face processing in online interactions via UK-US hyperscanning using fNIRS.

Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2026

Same author

Structural brain differences associated with panic disorder: an ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group mega-analysis of 4924 individuals worldwide.

Molecular psychiatry·2026

Same author

TMS-induced modulation of brain networks and its associations to rTMS treatment for depression: a concurrent fMRI-EEG-TMS study.

Brain stimulation·2025

Same author

Gender role identity, personality factors, and psychiatric symptoms among American adults: the Nathan Kline Institute Rockland Sample.

Frontiers in psychiatry·2025

Same author

Environmental effects on inter-brain coupling: a systematic review.

Frontiers in human neuroscience·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Analyzing Neural Activity and Connectivity Using Intracranial EEG Data with SPM Software

Analyzing Neural Activity and Connectivity Using Intracranial EEG Data with SPM Software

Published on: October 30, 2018

Dynamic coupling between the lateral occipital-cortex, default-mode, and frontoparietal networks during bistable

Ariel Karten¹, Spiro P Pantazatos, David Khalil

¹Functional MRI Research Laboratory, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.

Brain Connectivity

|March 21, 2013

Summary

The brain dynamically links visual processing areas with large-scale neural networks like the default mode network and frontoparietal network (FPN) during object recognition. Interestingly, the non-perceived visual information showed the strongest connection to the visual cortex.

More Related Videos

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Published on: July 1, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Analyzing Neural Activity and Connectivity Using Intracranial EEG Data with SPM Software

Analyzing Neural Activity and Connectivity Using Intracranial EEG Data with SPM Software

Published on: October 30, 2018

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity

Published on: July 1, 2014

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Visual Perception

Background:

The lateral occipital cortex (LOC) is crucial for object recognition.
Neural activity patterns dynamically shift based on perceptual experience.
Understanding the interplay between large-scale brain networks and specific visual areas is key to deciphering perception.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the dynamic coupling between the LOC and large-scale brain networks (default mode network and frontoparietal network) during perception of bistable figures.
To explore how neural activity within these networks changes based on the elicited percept (default vs. alternative).
To identify which neural regions exhibit the strongest connectivity with the LOC during different perceptual states.

Main Methods:

Utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity.
Analyzed functional connectivity between the LOC and core nodes of the default mode network and frontoparietal network.
Compared connectivity patterns during the perception of a default percept versus an alternative percept elicited by a bistable figure.

Main Results:

The LOC dynamically coupled with distinct neural activity patterns corresponding to the default and alternative percepts.
The default mode and frontoparietal networks showed higher inter-network coupling during the alternative percept compared to the default percept.
Regions associated with the non-engaged (unperceived) visual information exhibited the strongest connectivity with the LOC.

Conclusions:

Perceptual binding of visual images involves a dynamic interplay between large-scale brain networks (default mode and FPN) and the visual processing stream.
The brain's network organization shifts dynamically to support conscious visual perception.
Unexpectedly strong connectivity between the LOC and regions processing non-attended stimuli suggests complex mechanisms in perceptual selection and binding.