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

Nervous Tissue: Neuron Types01:19

Nervous Tissue: Neuron Types

5.7K
Neurons, the fundamental units of the nervous system, can be classified based on both their structural and functional characteristics.
Structurally, neurons are categorized into three main types: multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar (or pseudounipolar). Multipolar neurons, which are the most common type in the brain and spinal cord, as well as all motor neurons, possess multiple dendrites and a single axon.
Bipolar neurons, on the other hand, have one primary dendrite and one axon. They are...
5.7K
Decision Making01:20

Decision Making

838
Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive process that involves evaluating alternatives and selecting among them. This process can range from simple choices, such as deciding what to wear, to complex decisions, like choosing a major in college or a career path. The complexity of the decision often dictates the approach we use, which can be broadly categorized into two types: automatic and controlled decision-making.
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
838
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

6.7K
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....
6.7K
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

8.6K
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,...
8.6K
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:24

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Reason and Intuition01:37

Reason and Intuition

7.4K
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...
7.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A disinhibitory basal forebrain-to-cortex projection supports sustained attention.

Cell·2026
Same author

Parallel processing chains span cytoarchitectures to organize association cortex.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Perception and neural representation of intermittent odor stimuli in mice.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Implicit Generative Modeling by Kernel Similarity Matching.

Neural computation·2026
Same author

A cortical circuit for orchestrating oromanual food manipulation.

Neuron·2026
Same author

Encoding of odor information and reward anticipation in anterior cortical amygdaloid nucleus.

iScience·2026
Same journal

Retraction Note: NSD2 targeting reverses plasticity and drug resistance in prostate cancer.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Enhanced B cell priming induces broadly neutralizing HIV-1 apex antibodies.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Vaccination elicits HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies in primates.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Child online safety needs more than social-media bans.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Ebola preparedness must start with ecosystems and before humans show symptoms.

Nature·2026
Same journal

AI tools can speed up thinking, but evidence still comes from the lab bench.

Nature·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Multi-layer Cortical Ca2+ Imaging in Freely Moving Mice with Prism Probes and Miniaturized Fluorescence Microscopy
10:35

Multi-layer Cortical Ca2+ Imaging in Freely Moving Mice with Prism Probes and Miniaturized Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: June 13, 2017

32.0K

Frontal cortex neuron types categorically encode single decision variables.

Junya Hirokawa1,2, Alexander Vaughan1, Paul Masset1,3,4

  • 1Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.

Nature
|December 6, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neural activity in the orbitofrontal cortex is highly structured, not randomly mixed. Single neurons encode specific decision variables, supporting cognitive functions and behavior.

More Related Videos

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
09:55

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

8.8K
Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

8.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Multi-layer Cortical Ca2+ Imaging in Freely Moving Mice with Prism Probes and Miniaturized Fluorescence Microscopy
10:35

Multi-layer Cortical Ca2+ Imaging in Freely Moving Mice with Prism Probes and Miniaturized Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: June 13, 2017

32.0K
Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
09:55

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

8.8K
Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

8.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Frontal cortex neurons exhibit complex activity, often seen as a mix of variables.
  • This complexity led to theories of random neural representations understandable only at the population level.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structure of neural activity in the rat orbitofrontal cortex (OFC).
  • To determine if individual OFC neurons encode specific variables relevant to choice behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Rats were trained on a task combining perceptual and value-guided decisions.
  • Unbiased clustering analysis identified distinct neuronal response profiles.
  • Computational models of choice behavior were applied to these profiles.

Main Results:

  • OFC neural activity is highly structured, with distinct neuron groups.
  • Each neuronal profile quantitatively corresponds to specific decision variables like confidence.
  • Orbitofrontal neurons projecting to the striatum selectively represent integrated value.

Conclusions:

  • OFC neural representations are structured, not randomly mixed.
  • Individual neurons encode specific decision variables, supporting cognitive functions.
  • Information is selectively distributed to downstream regions to support behavior.