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Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

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Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
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Visual System01:26

Visual System

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Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
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Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

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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....
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Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

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The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
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Neuroplasticity01:01

Neuroplasticity

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Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
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Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

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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:
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Author Spotlight: Insights into Visual Cortex Research Through Wide-View fMRI Mapping
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Author Spotlight: Insights into Visual Cortex Research Through Wide-View fMRI Mapping

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Heritable functional architecture in human visual cortex.

Ivan Alvarez1, Nonie J Finlayson2, Shwe Ei3

  • 1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, United States; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

Neuroimage
|June 21, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study investigated the genetic basis of visual system organization. Retinotopic maps in the visual cortex show partial genetic determination, with higher similarity in identical twins, suggesting heritability.

Keywords:
HeritabilityPopulation receptive fieldsRetinotopic mappingTwin studyVisual cortexVisual processing

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Human Genetics
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • The functional organization of the human visual system is complex.
  • Understanding the extent of its genetic versus environmental influence is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the heritability of retinotopic maps in the human visual cortex.
  • To investigate the genetic contribution to visual system organization.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to study monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs.
  • Population receptive field (pRF) analysis quantified retinotopic map properties.

Main Results:

  • Retinotopic organization demonstrated closer correspondence in MZ twins compared to DZ twins.
  • Heritability estimates for polar angle preferences and pRF size in extrastriate areas V2 and V3 were 10-20%.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest partial genetic determination of visual cortex functional organization.
  • Heritability extends to both regional arrangement and stimulus tuning properties.
  • This provides a neural basis for genetically influenced perceptual variations.