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

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.

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...

Somatosensation

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Acute Brain Injury in New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus and Etiology-Defined Status Epilepticus.

JAMA neurology·2026

Same author

Latency to presentation after seizure onset and drug resistance to a comprehensive epilepsy center in an urban tertiary care center.

Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape·2025

Same author

Trends in anti-seizure medication spending by Medicare Part D and Medicaid from 2012 to 2022.

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B·2025

Same author

It's About Time! Timing in Epilepsy Evaluation and Treatment.

Epilepsy currents·2024

Same author

Nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia to sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy: A critical review.

Epilepsia·2024

Same author

Comparative analysis of patients with new onset refractory status epilepticus preceded by fever (febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome) versus without prior fever: An interim analysis.

Epilepsia·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

A Standardized Protocol for Functional Motor Mapping Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A Standardized Protocol for Functional Motor Mapping Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 27, 2026

Mapping of cingulate motor function by cortical stimulation.

Maysaa M Basha¹, Guadalupe Fernández-Baca Vaca, Hans O Lüders

¹Department of Neurology, Wayne State University, Detroit.

Epileptic Disorders : International Epilepsy Journal with Videotape

|August 24, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study mapped motor functions in the human cingulate cortex using stereotactic depth electrodes in an epilepsy patient. Findings reveal a somatotopic organization of motor control along the cingulate sulcus.

More Related Videos

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 23, 2020

Bilateral Assessment of the Corticospinal Pathways of the Ankle Muscles Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Bilateral Assessment of the Corticospinal Pathways of the Ankle Muscles Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 19, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

A Standardized Protocol for Functional Motor Mapping Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A Standardized Protocol for Functional Motor Mapping Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 27, 2026

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 23, 2020

Bilateral Assessment of the Corticospinal Pathways of the Ankle Muscles Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Bilateral Assessment of the Corticospinal Pathways of the Ankle Muscles Using Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 19, 2019

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Epileptology
Neurosurgery

Background:

Intractable epilepsy often requires precise localization of the epileptogenic zone for effective treatment.
Stereotactic electrode placement is a crucial neurosurgical technique for detailed brain mapping.

Observation:

An 8-year-old boy with left mesiofrontal lobe epilepsy underwent stereotactic depth electrode implantation.
Preoperative MRI and post-implantation CT scans were co-registered for precise anatomical localization of electrode contacts.

Findings:

Electrical stimulation of cingulate cortex electrodes elicited specific motor responses.
Dorsal bank stimulation produced right foot dorsiflexion; ventral bank stimulation caused right wrist and elbow flexion.
These findings demonstrate a somatotopic representation of motor function along the cingulate sulcus banks in humans.

Implications:

This study provides detailed insights into the somatotopic organization of human cingulate motor cortex.
The findings have potential implications for understanding and treating motor control deficits in neurological disorders.
This research validates non-human primate models for human cingulate motor cortex organization.