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

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...

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association Areas of the Cortex

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,...

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.

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

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 states or needs.

Lobes of the Cerebrum

Lobes of the Cerebrum

The cerebral cortex, a critical structure of the brain, is intricately divided into two hemispheres, each consisting of four distinct lobes: occipital, temporal, frontal, and parietal. These lobes function cooperatively to regulate various cognitive and sensory functions, forming the basis of our complex neural capabilities.
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobes, located behind the forehead, are the command center of our brain, controlling personality, intelligence, and voluntary muscle movements.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Understanding autistic identity contingencies: The chain mediation effect of autism acceptance and loneliness in ableist microaggressions and social camouflage.

Autism : the international journal of research and practice·2025

Same author

Diversity in Whisking-Related Dynamics of Layer 5 Neurons in the Motor Cortex.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2025

Same author

Projections from Regions of the Cerebellar Nuclei Receiving Jaw Muscle Proprioceptive Signals to Trigeminal Motoneurons and Their Premotoneurons in the Rat Pons and Medulla.

Cerebellum (London, England)·2025

Same author

Neuronal fate resulting from indirect neurogenesis in the mouse neocortex.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)·2024

Same author

Synaptic configuration and reconfiguration in the neocortex are spatiotemporally selective.

Anatomical science international·2023

Same author

Cerebellar Nuclei Receiving Orofacial Proprioceptive Signals through the Mossy Fiber Pathway from the Supratrigeminal Nucleus in Rats.

Cerebellum (London, England)·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

[Interaction between Corticocortical and Thalamic Inputs in the Frontal Cortex Underlying Executive Function].

Yasuo Kawaguchi¹, Jaerin Sohn

¹Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University.

Brain and Nerve = Shinkei Kenkyu No Shinpo

|July 8, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The frontal cortex integrates signals from the cerebellum and basal ganglia. Understanding feedback between motor areas and thalamic inputs is key to executive function.

More Related Videos

Online Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocol for Measuring Cortical Physiology Associated with Response Inhibition

Online Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocol for Measuring Cortical Physiology Associated with Response Inhibition

Published on: February 8, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

Online Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocol for Measuring Cortical Physiology Associated with Response Inhibition

Online Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocol for Measuring Cortical Physiology Associated with Response Inhibition

Published on: February 8, 2018

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Motor control
Executive function

Background:

The frontal cortex receives integrated signals from the cerebellum and basal ganglia via the thalamus.
Motor areas like the secondary motor area (M2) and primary motor area (M1) have hierarchical relationships.
Understanding corticocortical feedback is crucial for executive functions.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the interactions between feedback projections from M2 to M1.
To examine the role of thalamic inputs from the cerebellum and basal ganglia.
To elucidate the functional significance of these circuits in executive function.

Main Methods:

Literature review of existing research on corticocortical and thalamic circuits.
Analysis of rodent models to understand motor area hierarchies.
Synthesis of findings on feedback mechanisms and executive function.

Main Results:

Feedback projections from M2 to M1 are integral to motor control.
Thalamic inputs modulate the interaction between M1 and M2.
These interactions are essential for higher-level cognitive processes.

Conclusions:

The interplay between M2-M1 feedback and thalamic inputs is vital for executive functions.
Further research into these circuits can reveal mechanisms underlying cognitive control.
This review synthesizes current knowledge on a critical neural pathway.