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

Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

5.8K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
5.8K
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

2.2K
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...
2.2K
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

3.2K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
3.2K
Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

Cerebral Hemispheres

1.9K
The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
1.9K
Encoding01:19

Encoding

689
Information enters the brain through encoding, which is the input of information into the memory system. Once sensory information is received from the environment, the brain labels or codes it. The information is then organized with similar information and connected to existing concepts. Encoding occurs through automatic processing and effortful processing.
Automatic processing involves the encoding of details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of words, usually done without conscious...
689
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:24

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

2.0K
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...
2.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The Nature of a Writing System Shapes the Cognitive and Neural Mechanisms for Reading Acquisition.

Neurobiology of language (Cambridge, Mass.)·2026
Same author

Generalizable prediction of hand motor behaviour from spontaneous brain connectivity.

NeuroImage·2026
Same author

The spatiotemporal neural dynamics of action-related features underlying action recognition.

Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)·2025
Same author

A network-level perspective on technological cognition.

Cognitive neuroscience·2025
Same author

Revealing Key Dimensions Underlying the Recognition of Dynamic Human Actions.

Communications psychology·2025
Same author

Discrepant Views of Apathy in Patients and Caregivers: the Role of Cognitive Deficits in Parkinson's Disease.

Movement disorders clinical practice·2025
Same journal

An expanded cortical map of von Economo neurons in the human medial prefrontal cortex.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

For better and worse: neural self-partner overlap during social feedback is associated with relationship satisfaction and depressive symptoms.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Regions in the human inferior temporal gyrus are engaged in numerosity processing across visual stimulus categories.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Differentiation of cortical areas: effects of free energy minimization with broken symmetry.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Prior exposure to speech rapidly modulates cortical processing of high-level linguistic structure.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
Same journal

Beta bursts in SMA mediate anticipatory muscle inhibition.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping
13:12

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Published on: August 12, 2019

46.2K

Hierarchical Action Encoding Within the Human Brain.

Luca Turella1, Raffaella Rumiati2, Angelika Lingnau1,3,4

  • 1Center for Mind/Brain Sciences-CIMeC, University of Trento, Rovereto 38068, Italy.

Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|January 17, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The brain represents abstract action goals hierarchically. Motor and parietal cortices encode action goals at different abstraction levels, explaining flexible human hand movements.

Keywords:
MVPAactionfMRIgraspingmotor system

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology
09:44

Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology

Published on: March 8, 2024

5.6K
Decoding Natural Behavior from Neuroethological Embedding
08:00

Decoding Natural Behavior from Neuroethological Embedding

Published on: October 3, 2025

498

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping
13:12

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Published on: August 12, 2019

46.2K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology
09:44

Author Spotlight: Advancing Large-Scale Neural Dynamics Through HD-MEA Technology

Published on: March 8, 2024

5.6K
Decoding Natural Behavior from Neuroethological Embedding
08:00

Decoding Natural Behavior from Neuroethological Embedding

Published on: October 3, 2025

498

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Motor Control

Background:

  • Human hand dexterity relies on abstract action goal representation beyond specific muscle commands.
  • The neural basis of how the brain encodes these abstract action goals remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hierarchical encoding of action goals in the human brain.
  • To differentiate between concrete action, effector-dependent goal, and effector-independent goal representations.

Main Methods:

  • Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.
  • Participants performed various grasping actions with different hands and wrist orientations.

Main Results:

  • Motor cortices jointly encoded concrete actions and effector-dependent goals.
  • The parietal lobe exhibited convergence of all three representation levels (concrete, effector-dependent, effector-independent goals).
  • Left lateral occipito-temporal cortex showed effector-independent goal encoding but lacked convergence.

Conclusions:

  • Evidence supports a hierarchical organization of action goal encoding in the brain.
  • Neural substrates in motor and parietal cortices are crucial for flexible human hand behavior.