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....

Association Areas of the Cortex

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,...

Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy

Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy

The cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord offers a detailed view of its complex structure and function within the central nervous system. At the core of the spinal cord lies the gray matter, characterized by its butterfly or "H"-shaped appearance in cross-section. This central region is enveloped by white matter, with the overall structure divided into symmetrical halves by the dorsal median sulcus and the ventral median fissure.
Gray Matter and its Components
Central to the gray matter is...

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...

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview II

Cerebrum: Anatomical Overview II

Each cerebral hemisphere can be divided into three main regions. The outermost region, the cerebral cortex, is a thin layer (2 to 4 millimeters thick) made up of gray matter, consisting of neuron cell bodies, dendrites, glial cells, and blood vessels. The middle region, or white matter, is primarily composed of myelinated nerve fibers organized into three types of large tracts: association fibers, commissures, and projection fibers. Association fibers connect different areas within the same...

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Scaling up polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography to image the whole macaque brain.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Replicability of multivariate brain-behaviour associations depends on clinical profile.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

Author Correction: Cerebellar aging is spatially heterogeneous and supports cognitive resilience in later life.

Nature neuroscience·2026

Same author

Spatial and Molecular Progression of Neural Progenitor Cells in the Developing Human Dentate Gyrus.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Deafness and Sign Language Experience Shift Visual Category Representations.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Same author

Cortical and white matter myelination proceed in concert during early infancy.

Nature communications·2026

Same journal

Fast-conducting mechanonociceptors uniquely engage reflexive and affective pain circuitry to drive protective responses.

Neuron·2026

Same journal

Sparse component analysis: A method that uncovers separable computations within neural population activity.

Neuron·2026

Same journal

Spatiomolecular mapping reveals anatomical organization of heterogeneous cell types in the human nucleus accumbens.

Neuron·2026

Same journal

TGF-β1-induced endothelial transcytosis drives blood-brain barrier leakage during aging.

Neuron·2026

Same journal

Image space opens up for visual neuroscience.

Neuron·2026

Same journal

Septal GLP-1 receptors control alcohol taking and seeking.

Neuron·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Fiber Connections of the Supplementary Motor Area Revisited: Methodology of Fiber Dissection, DTI, and Three Dimensional Documentation

Fiber Connections of the Supplementary Motor Area Revisited: Methodology of Fiber Dissection, DTI, and Three Dimensional Documentation

Published on: May 23, 2017

Functionally defined white matter reveals segregated pathways in human ventral temporal cortex associated with

Jesse Gomez¹, Franco Pestilli², Nathan Witthoft³

¹Neurosciences Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

|January 9, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

White matter pathways in the brain connect visual networks. Their structure influences face and place recognition, with abnormalities linked to face blindness (developmental prosopagnosia).

More Related Videos

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Published on: November 8, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Fiber Connections of the Supplementary Motor Area Revisited: Methodology of Fiber Dissection, DTI, and Three Dimensional Documentation

Fiber Connections of the Supplementary Motor Area Revisited: Methodology of Fiber Dissection, DTI, and Three Dimensional Documentation

Published on: May 23, 2017

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Published on: November 8, 2012

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Neuroimaging

Background:

The relationship between white-matter properties and category-specific visual processing remains unclear.
Understanding how anatomical connectivity supports specialized visual functions is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if white-matter structure in specific visual networks selectively impacts category-specific processing.
To explore the link between white-matter pathways, functional selectivity, and behavioral performance in visual tasks.

Main Methods:

Combined white-matter structure (diffusion MRI) and functional selectivity (fMRI) measurements in the same individuals.
Correlated diffusion properties of white-matter tracts with behavioral performance in face and place recognition tasks.
Examined individuals with developmental prosopagnosia to assess structure-behavior relationships.

Main Results:

Identified two parallel white-matter pathways in the ventral temporal lobe connecting to face- and place-selective regions.
Diffusion properties of these tracts correlated with behavioral performance for face or place processing.
Adults with developmental prosopagnosia showed atypical structure-behavior relationships near face-selective cortex.

Conclusions:

White-matter pathways adjacent to category-selective regions are functionally relevant for visual processing.
Atypicalities in white matter structure near face-selective cortex may contribute to developmental prosopopagnosia.
Interplay between cortical function, anatomical connectivity, and behavior is key to understanding visual abilities and deficits.