Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

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.
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...
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,...
Parallel Processing01:20

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...
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The laminar organization of cell types in macaque cortex and its relationship to neuronal oscillations.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

Functionally matched domains in parietal-frontal cortex of monkeys project to overlapping regions of the striatum.

Progress in neurobiology·2020
Same author

Distributions of vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 in the visual system of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri).

The Journal of comparative neurology·2014
Same author

Faster scaling of visual neurons in cortical areas relative to subcortical structures in non-human primate brains.

Brain structure & function·2012
Same author

Cortical networks subserving upper limb movements in primates.

European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine·2012
Same author

Supplementary eye field as defined by intracortical microstimulation: connections in macaques.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2009
Same journal

Sensorimotor Adaptation of Vocal Pitch Is Impaired in Cerebellar Ataxia.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Memory in the Palm of Your Hand: Smartphone-based Methods for Measuring Memory in the Wild.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Processing Asymmetry in Object-modifying Relative Clauses: Evidence from Functional Connectivity.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Extensive Experience Remodels Neural Task Circuitry to Escape the Frontal Bottleneck and Increase Automaticity of Categorization.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Investigating the Effects of Acute Stress on Neural Mechanisms of Self-controlled Decision-making.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Distilling the Neurophenomenological Signatures of Pure Awareness during Transcendental Meditation.

Journal of cognitive neuroscience·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI
06:02

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI

Published on: February 3, 2015

Why does the brain have so many visual areas?

J H Kaas1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville.

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

Mammals evolve enhanced visual abilities by increasing the number of visual processing areas. This expansion allows for more complex visual information processing and adaptation to diverse environments.

More Related Videos

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI
06:02

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI

Published on: February 3, 2015

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
  • Comparative Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Mammals exhibit significant variation in the number of visual processing areas, ranging from a few to over twenty.
  • The addition of new visual areas typically occurs in the middle levels of sensory processing hierarchies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the evolutionary mechanisms behind the varying number of visual areas in mammals.
  • To understand how an increased number of visual areas contributes to enhanced visual perception and cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

  • This study is primarily theoretical, analyzing existing data on mammalian visual system evolution.
  • It synthesizes findings from comparative neuroanatomy and evolutionary biology to propose a framework.

Main Results:

  • Increasing the number of visual areas is a key strategy for evolving new sensory capacities.
  • This expansion likely enhances visual abilities by enabling the consideration of more stimulus parameters.
  • Adding new areas circumvents constraints associated with modifying existing, functionally established areas.

Conclusions:

  • The multiplication of visual cortical areas is an effective and common evolutionary mechanism for developing novel visual processing capabilities.
  • Species-specific differences in visual abilities may be linked to the number of visual areas evolved.
  • This evolutionary pathway allows for greater functional specialization and complexity in visual perception.