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

Subconsciousness and No Awareness01:15

Subconsciousness and No Awareness

735
The concept of subconscious awareness refers to the processing of information below the level of conscious thought, which significantly influences both behaviors and decisions. It is also known as waking subconscious awareness. This complex level of cognition operates without the direct awareness of the individual, facilitating rapid and simultaneous handling of multiple information streams.
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
735
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

8.1K
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....
8.1K
Parallel Processing01:20

Parallel Processing

793
The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
793
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness01:19

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

801
Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...
801
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

2.9K
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...
2.9K
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

9.8K
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,...
9.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Projections from subfornical organ to infralimbic cortex modulate carbon dioxide associated fear.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Visual activity in primate superior colliculus requires geniculostriate input.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Beyond the brake: The subthalamic nucleus predominantly facilitates action in non-human primates.

Progress in neurobiology·2026
Same author

A Distinct Circuit for Biasing Visual Perceptual Decisions and Modulating Superior Colliculus Activity through the Mouse Posterior Striatum.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same author

Neuronal Features of Visual Attention in the Mouse Superior Colliculus Depend on Learned Behavioral Relevance.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same author

Beyond the Brake: the Subthalamic Nucleus Predominantly Facilitates Action in Non-human Primates.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

The cognitive construction of moral scenes: Associations of visuospatial ability and impulsivity with perspective and vividness in mental simulation.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same journal

Theta band activity during event-file retrieval is influenced by stimulus salience in the preceding action episode.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same journal

Language recovery in Hungarian speakers with aphasia: Roles of phonology and intraindividual variability.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same journal

Neural and behavioral dissociations of self-focused and other-focused incentives in trust.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same journal

A multiverse analysis of the logical memory test and plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same journal

Reading and writing impairments in Spanish-speaking individuals with primary progressive aphasia: A single-case series study.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
09:37

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

9.6K

Selective attention without a neocortex.

Richard J Krauzlis1, Amarender R Bogadhi1, James P Herman1

  • 1Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, USA.

Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior
|September 30, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Selective attention, the ability to focus on relevant stimuli, is not unique to mammals with a neocortex. Ancient subcortical brain structures, conserved across vertebrates, are responsible for this crucial cognitive function.

Keywords:
AttentionEvolutionNeocortexOptic tectumStriatumThalamus

More Related Videos

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
06:46

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

7.6K
Touchscreen Sustained Attention Task SAT for Rats
09:31

Touchscreen Sustained Attention Task SAT for Rats

Published on: September 15, 2017

10.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
09:37

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

9.6K
Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
06:46

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

7.6K
Touchscreen Sustained Attention Task SAT for Rats
09:31

Touchscreen Sustained Attention Task SAT for Rats

Published on: September 15, 2017

10.3K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Comparative Psychology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Selective attention allows organisms to filter stimuli and focus on relevant information.
  • While typically associated with the mammalian neocortex, this ability is also present in non-mammals lacking a neocortex.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To survey behavioral evidence for selective attention in non-mammals.
  • To review the midbrain and forebrain structures underlying selective attention in these species.
  • To explore the evolutionary origins of selective attention.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral evidence survey
  • Review of neuroanatomical structures (optic tectum, thalamus, striatum, pallial regions)
  • Evolutionary perspective analysis

Main Results:

  • Non-mammals exhibit selective attention, relying on conserved subcortical structures like the optic tectum (OT).
  • The evolution of selective attention predates the neocortex, with significant reorganization in forebrain pallial regions.
  • Ancestral forms of selective attention are linked to orienting behaviors like prey-catching and predator avoidance.

Conclusions:

  • Selective attention is an evolutionarily ancient cognitive function, not solely dependent on the neocortex.
  • Understanding the interplay between ancient subcortical and newer cortical circuits is key to comprehending attention in mammals.
  • This research provides insights into the etiology of attention disorders by examining fundamental neural mechanisms.