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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.

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...

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 1, 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

[Neural mechanisms underlying visually guided action].

¹Frontal Lobe Function Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science.

Brain and Nerve = Shinkei Kenkyu No Shinpo

|April 22, 2014

Summary

Visually guided actions involve three neural processing modes: direct, conditional action, and conditional goal associations. These processes converge on the premotor cortex, highlighting complex brain networks for visually guided behavior.

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Last Updated: May 1, 2026

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

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Published on: April 16, 2014

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

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Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Motor Control

Context:

Visually guided actions are fundamental for interacting with the environment.
Understanding the neural underpinnings of these actions is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.
Previous research has identified various brain regions involved, but a unified model of processing modes is less defined.

Purpose:

To delineate and differentiate three distinct modes of neural processing for visually guided action.
To identify the specific brain networks and pathways associated with each processing mode.
To propose a model where these multiple processing streams converge on the premotor cortex.

Summary:

Three modes of visually guided action processing are described: direct visuo-action association (premotor-parietal cortex), conditional visuo-action association (involving prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia), and conditional visuo-goal association (also involving prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia).
The first mode directly links visual target information (position, shape) to reaching and grasping actions.
The latter two modes involve rule-based selection of actions based on visual features or goals, utilizing pathways from the inferotemporal cortex through the prefrontal cortex to the dorsal premotor cortex.

Impact:

This framework clarifies the distinct yet converging neural mechanisms for generating visually guided actions.
It provides a basis for understanding how different types of visual information are translated into motor commands.
The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of sensorimotor integration and cognitive control in action selection.