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

3.4K
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...
3.4K
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

8.6K
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....
8.6K
Lobes of the Cerebrum01:22

Lobes of the Cerebrum

5.2K
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....
5.2K
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

2.9K
The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
2.9K
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

10.1K
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,...
10.1K
Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation01:13

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

5.6K
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...
5.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Unconditional stability of a recurrent neural circuit implementing divisive normalization.

Advances in neural information processing systems·2025
Same author

Attention-induced perceptual traveling waves in binocular rivalry.

Journal of vision·2025
Same author

Contrastive Self-Supervised Learning As Neural Manifold Packing.

ArXiv·2025
Same author

Hierarchical Neural Circuit Theory of Normalization and Inter-areal Communication.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Stabilization of recurrent neural networks through divisive normalization.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Traveling waves in the human visual cortex: An MEG-EEG model-based approach.

PLoS computational biology·2025
Same journal

Tau protein as a regulator of mitochondrial function and dynamics.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

A scalable, dividing cell model for the robust propagation and quantification of human sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease prions.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Epigenetic regulation of mesenchymal BMP signaling directs postnatal organ innervation.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Single-shot wide-field biochemical imaging at 1 kHz frame rate.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Morphogenesis and topological evolution of a frustrated nematic liquid crystal under confinement.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

B cell-intrinsic CXCR3 drives efficient generation of ectopic pulmonary germinal center responses to influenza A virus infection.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

13.9K

Theory of cortical function.

David J Heeger1,2

  • 1Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003; david.heeger@nyu.edu.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|February 8, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study proposes a new computational framework for brain sensory processing, moving beyond simple feedforward models. It incorporates feedback and prior expectations, offering a unified theory for inference, exploration, and prediction in the neocortex.

Keywords:
computational neuroscienceinferenceneural netpredictionvision

More Related Videos

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
09:52

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

Published on: February 23, 2020

9.9K
Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks
16:33

Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks

Published on: October 22, 2011

39.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

13.9K
Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
09:52

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

Published on: February 23, 2020

9.9K
Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks
16:33

Functional Calcium Imaging in Developing Cortical Networks

Published on: October 22, 2011

39.7K

Area of Science:

  • Computational neuroscience
  • Neuroscience
  • Artificial intelligence

Background:

  • Current sensory processing models predominantly use feedforward architectures, effective for explaining neurophysiological and psychophysical data, and underpinning deep convolutional neural networks.
  • The neocortex, however, does not strictly adhere to a feedforward architecture, necessitating alternative computational frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a novel computational framework for neural activity in brain areas that integrates feedforward, feedback, and prior drives.
  • To hypothesize that state parameters, potentially neuromodulators and oscillatory activity, control the balance of these drives.
  • To offer an empirically testable theory for cortical functions like inference, exploration, and prediction.

Main Methods:

  • The paper introduces a theoretical framework where neural activity is a function of bottom-up (feedforward), top-down (feedback), and expectation (prior) drives.
  • It posits that neuromodulators and oscillatory activity act as state parameters regulating the influence of each drive.
  • The framework is presented as a unified model capable of replicating feedforward processing, generative modeling (e.g., memory recall), and predictive processing.

Main Results:

  • The proposed framework encompasses conventional feedforward models in certain states, preserving their explanatory power.
  • In other states, it functions as a generative model, constructing representations from abstract information.
  • The model also handles ambiguous sensory input by exploring interpretations and predicting future states.

Conclusions:

  • This unified framework offers a more biologically plausible account of neocortical function than purely feedforward models.
  • It provides a testable hypothesis for how the brain integrates sensory input with prior knowledge for perception and cognition.
  • The theory bridges the gap between traditional sensory processing models and more complex cognitive functions like prediction and exploration.