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

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

47.9K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
47.9K
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

6.6K
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....
6.6K
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

11.9K
Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
11.9K
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

8.5K
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,...
8.5K
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

6.9K
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
6.9K
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay01:27

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

3.5K
The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is  a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological...
3.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Topographic CA1 input shapes subicular spatial coding.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Hippocampal place code plasticity in CA1 requires postsynaptic membrane fusion.

Neuron·2026
Same author

Entorhinal cortex represents task-relevant remote locations independently of CA1.

Nature neuroscience·2026
Same author

State-dependent spatial maps for navigation.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026
Same author

Gaussian Process Inference Reveals Non-Separability of Position and Velocity Tuning in Grid Cells.

Hippocampus·2026
Same author

Gaussian Process Inference Reveals Non-separability of Position and Velocity Tuning in Grid Cells.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Preparation of Parasagittal Slices for the Investigation of Dorsal-ventral Organization of the Rodent Medial Entorhinal Cortex
09:45

Preparation of Parasagittal Slices for the Investigation of Dorsal-ventral Organization of the Rodent Medial Entorhinal Cortex

Published on: March 28, 2012

16.0K

Multiple head direction signals within entorhinal cortex: origin and function.

Robert Gk Munn1, Lisa M Giocomo1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|February 24, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Directional information in the mammalian brain is transformed hierarchically from subcortical areas to higher-order regions like the hippocampus. This processing supports complex navigational behaviors beyond simple spatial orientation.

More Related Videos

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

13.5K
A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
08:37

A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat

Published on: April 24, 2009

12.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Preparation of Parasagittal Slices for the Investigation of Dorsal-ventral Organization of the Rodent Medial Entorhinal Cortex
09:45

Preparation of Parasagittal Slices for the Investigation of Dorsal-ventral Organization of the Rodent Medial Entorhinal Cortex

Published on: March 28, 2012

16.0K
Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices
08:49

Visualization of Cortical Modules in Flattened Mammalian Cortices

Published on: January 22, 2018

13.5K
A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
08:37

A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat

Published on: April 24, 2009

12.2K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Systems Neuroscience
  • Sensory Processing

Background:

  • Sensory systems perform hierarchical computations, transforming raw input into complex representations.
  • Information processing progresses from primary receptors through subcortical and cortical regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review evidence on the transformation and multiplexing of directional signals in the mammalian brain.
  • To explore how ascending directional information supports diverse behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent neuroscientific evidence.
  • Analysis of signal processing from subcortical to cortical areas.
  • Focus on neuronal populations and brain regions involved in navigation.

Main Results:

  • Directional signaling undergoes transformation and multiplexing from subcortical to thalamic and hippocampal regions.
  • Tightly direction-coupled neurons in subcortical areas provide initial directional input.
  • Higher-order regions like the hippocampus integrate and transform this directional information.

Conclusions:

  • The hierarchical processing of directional signals enables sophisticated navigational capabilities.
  • Transformations in the thalamus and hippocampus allow directional systems to support behaviors beyond basic orientation.
  • Understanding these transformations is key to comprehending spatial navigation and behavior.