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

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

5.1K
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...
5.1K
Reason and Intuition01:37

Reason and Intuition

7.8K
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the...
7.8K
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

10.8K
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,...
10.8K
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

9.5K
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....
9.5K
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

6.4K
The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements....
6.4K
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

1.6K
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
1.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Space is a latent sequence: A theory of the hippocampus.

Science advances·2024
Same author

Association of Intrinsic Brain Architecture With Changes in Attentional and Mood Symptoms During Development.

JAMA psychiatry·2019
Same author

Frontoparietal Structural Connectivity in Childhood Predicts Development of Functional Connectivity and Reasoning Ability: A Large-Scale Longitudinal Investigation.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2017
Same author

Changes in ventromedial prefrontal and insular cortex support the development of metamemory from childhood into adolescence.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2017
Same author

The Importance of Knowing When You Don't Remember: Neural Signaling of Retrieval Failure Predicts Memory Improvement Over Time.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2017
Same author

Neuroscientific insights into the development of analogical reasoning.

Developmental science·2017

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 17, 2026

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

6.6K

Meta-analysis: how does posterior parietal cortex contribute to reasoning?

Carter Wendelken1

  • 1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, CA, USA.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|February 6, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) aids reasoning, particularly in mathematical cognition. Neuroimaging reveals specific left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) activation during reasoning, suggesting a core function beyond general cognitive processes.

Keywords:
IPLSPLdeductive reasoningmeta-analysisnumerical cognitionposterior parietal cortexspatial cognition

More Related Videos

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
09:00

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Published on: April 15, 2015

13.0K
Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum
11:47

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

30.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 17, 2026

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

6.6K
Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
09:00

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Published on: April 15, 2015

13.0K
Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum
11:47

Modulating Cognition Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Cerebellum

Published on: February 15, 2015

30.6K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is implicated in diverse cognitive functions, including spatial attention, memory, language, and mathematical cognition.
  • Its precise role in reasoning remains unclear, with competing theories suggesting links to logic, probabilistic computation, or spatial processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the specific contribution of the PPC to reasoning.
  • To test competing hypotheses regarding the neural basis of reasoning within the PPC.

Main Methods:

  • Two meta-analyses were conducted: one on existing reasoning studies and another using Neurosynth to map reasoning activation overlap with other PPC functions.
  • Regions of interest (ROIs) within the PPC were examined for reasoning-related activation.

Main Results:

  • Reasoning-related activation was consistently found in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL).
  • Reasoning maps showed the strongest overlap with mathematical cognition maps.
  • Some overlap was observed with visuospatial and phonological processing, but a significant portion of reasoning activation was unique.

Conclusions:

  • The PPC's contribution to reasoning is most closely associated with its role in mathematical cognition.
  • A unique component of PPC function appears specific to the reasoning process itself.