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Vision

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.

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...

Visual System

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...

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...

Gestalt Principles of Perception

Gestalt Principles of Perception

Gestalt principles provide a framework for understanding how humans perceive objects as unified wholes within their context. These principles are essential in explaining the cognitive processes that make sense of complex visual stimuli by organizing them into coherent groups. One fundamental principle is proximity, which posits that objects located close to each other are perceived as a collective group. For instance, when dots are positioned near one another, the visual system interprets them...

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

Top-down influences on visual processing.

Charles D Gilbert¹, Wu Li

¹The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA. gilbert@rockefeller.edu

Nature Reviews. Neuroscience

|April 19, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cortical feedback pathways dynamically adjust neuronal function based on behavioral context, enabling visual cortex neurons to adapt their receptive fields for specific perceptual demands. This highlights the brain's flexible processing capabilities.

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Visual Processing

Background:

Cortical feedback pathways transmit contextual information influencing neuronal activity.
Neurons act as adaptive processors, altering functional states based on task demands.
Top-down influences modulate visual cortical pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the role of re-entrant pathways in shaping visual cortical function.
To highlight how neurons dynamically adapt to behavioral context.
To discuss the influence of top-down signals on visual processing.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on cortical feedback and visual processing.
Analysis of studies investigating neuronal plasticity and receptive field dynamics.
Synthesis of data on top-down influences in the visual cortex.

Main Results:

Feedback pathways convey rich behavioral context (attention, expectation, memory, motor commands).
Neuronal selection of specific inputs allows for diverse functional roles.
The dynamic nature of receptive fields enables context-relevant information processing.

Conclusions:

Visual cortical neurons are adaptive processors influenced by top-down signals.
Dynamic receptive fields are crucial for integrating contextual information.
Understanding these mechanisms is key to comprehending flexible perception and cognition.