Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Somatosensation

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

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.

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex

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 the...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Optimal positioning and size of high-density electrocorticography grids for speech brain-computer interfaces.

Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026

Same author

Implanted brain-computer interface functionality during nighttime in late-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Optimal location for gesture decoding in the sensorimotor cortex and implications for brain-computer interface research.

NeuroImage·2026

Same author

Across-speaker articulatory reconstruction from sensorimotor cortex for generalizable brain-computer interfaces.

Journal of neural engineering·2026

Same author

Spectral entropy variability of intraoperative electrocorticography predicts outcome after epilepsy surgery in people with focal cortical dysplasia.

Epilepsia·2026

Same author

Relational personhood: the missing link for evaluating clinical impact of brain-computer interfaces.

Brain communications·2026

Same journal

Invaders taking over-Mollusc faunal change in volcanic barrier lakes of the Albertine Rift biodiversity hotspot.

PloS one·2026

Same journal

AI-driven molecular diversification and ligand-based optimization of macitentan derivatives targeting VEGFR1 and endothelin signaling pathways.

PloS one·2026

Same journal

Performance patterns and records in the world aquatics masters championships: Where do the most frequently represented nations among the top-ten masters swimmers come from?

PloS one·2026

Same journal

Modeling diurnal Temperature-Rainfall relationships under multicollinearity using PLS-SEM: A case study of Ghana.

PloS one·2026

Same journal

Organizational culture, social capital, and emergency capacity in primary healthcare institutions: A cross-sectional structural equation modeling study comparing ordinary and older communities.

PloS one·2026

Same journal

Impact of kidney function on the metabolome in the general population.

PloS one·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

Published on: August 25, 2020

Temporal responses in sensorimotor cortex during hand movements.

Sophia Gimple^1,2, Zachary V Freudenburg¹, Nick F Ramsey^1,3

¹Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

|May 7, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Primary motor cortex (M1) signals activate before primary somatosensory cortex (S1) signals during movement initiation, challenging traditional views. This finding suggests S1 plays a role beyond sensory processing, impacting neurotechnology development.

More Related Videos

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 23, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

Published on: August 25, 2020

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: February 23, 2020

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Sensorimotor integration
Human motor control

Background:

The primary somatosensory cortex (S1) has been traditionally viewed as solely responsible for sensory processing.
Recent evidence challenges this view, suggesting S1 may also be involved in sensorimotor integration and motor control.
The precise temporal relationship between S1 and primary motor cortex (M1) during movement execution, especially concerning reafferent feedback, remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the temporal dynamics between S1 and M1 neural signals during movement execution.
To understand the role of S1 in sensorimotor integration and movement initiation.
To explore the influence of reafferent feedback on the S1-M1 interaction.

Main Methods:

Utilized high-density electrocorticography (ECoG) grids implanted over the hand region of the sensorimotor cortex in eight able-bodied participants.
Compared onset latencies of low-frequency band (LFB) and high-frequency band (HFB) signals between S1 and M1.
Examined ECoG data from two participants attempting movement with minimal reafference.

Main Results:

A consistent pattern of M1 signal activation preceding S1 signal activation was observed in the HFB across participants.
No clear temporal pattern was found for LFB signals between S1 and M1.
Similar HFB activation patterns were noted in participants with minimal reafference, suggesting S1's role in movement initiation.

Conclusions:

The findings challenge the classical view of S1 as purely a sensory processing area.
Results suggest S1 actively participates in movement initiation, not just sensory feedback processing.
A deeper understanding of S1-M1 integration is crucial for advancing neurotechnology and understanding neuromuscular disorders.