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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.
Visual System01:26

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...
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.
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,...
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...
Neural Circuits01:25

Neural Circuits

Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
06:46

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

Distributed cortical network for visual attention.

R T Knight1

  • 1University of California, Davis, VA, Medical Center, Martinez.

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|August 24, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Prefrontal and posterior cortex lesions impact early visual processing and responses to novel stimuli, but not voluntary attention. This suggests distinct neural networks govern voluntary versus involuntary visual attention.

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VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation
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VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

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Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
06:46

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation
10:41

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

Published on: March 25, 2011

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
09:37

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Visual attention involves complex neural networks.
  • Distinguishing voluntary and involuntary attention mechanisms is crucial for understanding cognitive processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of prefrontal and posterior association cortex in voluntary and involuntary visual attention.
  • To examine the effects of focal cortical lesions on electrophysiological markers of attention.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological techniques (EEG) were used to record brain activity.
  • Patients with focal lesions in prefrontal, temporal-parietal, or lateral parietal cortex were studied.
  • A visual task involved detecting targets and responding to novel, irrelevant stimuli.

Main Results:

  • Lesions in prefrontal and posterior association cortex reduced early visual processing potentials (N1, N2).
  • Voluntary attention (P3b) was unaffected by lesions, while involuntary attention to novelty (P3a) was significantly reduced.
  • These findings indicate distinct neural systems for voluntary and involuntary visual attention.

Conclusions:

  • An intrahemispheric network involving prefrontal and posterior association cortex modulates early visual processing.
  • A separate network involving these regions is activated during orientation to novel events (involuntary attention).
  • The study supports the dissociation between neural systems engaged in voluntary and involuntary visual attention.