Bookmarks
Concepts
Activity
Courses
Concept
A pixel is the smallest unit of a digital image or display, representing a single point of color. Pixels collectively form the grid that makes up the visual output on screens, with their density and arrangement determining the resolution and clarity of the image.
Relevant Fields:
Concept
The neocortex is the part of the mammalian brain involved in higher-order brain functions such as sensory perception, cognition, and generation of motor commands. It is characterized by its layered structure and is responsible for the advanced cognitive abilities that distinguish humans and other mammals from other species.
Concept
The frontal lobe is a critical region of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions, including decision making, problem-solving, and controlling behavior. It also plays a significant role in personality expression, voluntary movement, and the regulation of emotions.
Concept
The parietal lobe is a region of the brain located at the upper back area of the skull, primarily responsible for processing sensory information and spatial navigation. It plays a crucial role in integrating sensory input from various parts of the body, understanding spatial orientation, and managing proprioception and perception of stimuli.
Concept
The temporal lobe is a critical region of the brain involved in processing auditory information, language comprehension, and memory formation. It also plays a role in recognizing faces and objects, and is essential for interpreting emotional responses and social cues.
Concept
The occipital lobe is the visual processing center of the brain, responsible for interpreting information from the eyes and forming our perception of the visual world. Located at the back of the cerebral cortex, it plays a crucial role in visual perception, color recognition, and motion detection.
Concept
Cortical columns are vertical structures in the cerebral cortex that are thought to be the fundamental processing units of the brain, organizing neurons to perform specific functions. They are crucial for understanding how the brain processes information and contributes to various cognitive functions, such as perception and decision-making.
Concept
Gray matter is a critical component of the central nervous system, primarily composed of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons, and is essential for processing information in the brain. It plays a significant role in muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions, and decision-making, underscoring its importance in cognitive functioning.
Concept
Cortical plasticity refers to the brain's remarkable ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, allowing it to adapt to new experiences, learn new information, and recover from injuries. This adaptability is driven by changes in the strength and efficacy of synaptic connections and is influenced by factors such as age, environment, and experience.
Concept
Sensory processing is the method by which the brain receives, organizes, and interprets sensory information from the environment to produce an appropriate response. It involves complex neural mechanisms that can affect behavior, learning, and emotional regulation, and dysfunctions in this process can lead to Sensory processing disorders.
Concept
Motor control is the process by which humans and animals use their brain and nervous system to activate and coordinate muscles and limbs involved in the performance of a motor skill. It involves complex interactions between neural circuits, sensory feedback, and motor commands to produce smooth, purposeful movements.
Concept
Cortical excitability refers to the ease with which neurons in the cerebral cortex can be activated and is influenced by intrinsic neuronal properties and external stimuli. It plays a crucial role in various brain functions, including sensory perception, motor control, and cognitive processes, and can be modulated by factors such as synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter levels, and neuromodulation.
Concept
The central nervous system (CNS) is the primary control center for the body, consisting of the brain and spinal cord, and it processes and coordinates sensory information and responses. It plays a crucial role in regulating bodily functions, cognition, and behavior, making it essential for survival and adaptation to the environment.
Concept
Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure and organization of the nervous system, focusing on the intricate architecture of the brain, spinal cord, and neural circuits. Understanding neuroanatomy is crucial for comprehending how neural pathways contribute to behavior, cognition, and neurological disorders.
Concept
Brain tissue is the complex and highly organized structure of neural and glial cells that forms the brain, responsible for processing sensory information, regulating bodily functions, and enabling cognition and consciousness. It is composed of gray matter, which contains neuronal cell bodies, and white matter, which consists of myelinated axons that facilitate communication between different brain regions.
Concept
Cortical blindness is a neurological condition where vision loss occurs due to damage in the brain's occipital cortex, despite the eyes being physically healthy. It highlights the critical role of the brain's visual processing areas in interpreting visual information received from the eyes.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that uses a constant, low electrical current delivered via electrodes on the scalp to modulate neuronal activity. It is being explored for its potential therapeutic benefits in conditions like depression, anxiety, and cognitive enhancement, though its efficacy and mechanisms are still under investigation.
Concept
Functional localization refers to the idea that specific areas of the brain are responsible for particular functions or behaviors. This concept is foundational in neuroscience and has been supported by evidence from brain imaging, lesion studies, and neuropsychological assessments.
Concept
Cortical hierarchies refer to the organization of the cerebral cortex in a layered structure where information is processed in a sequence from lower to higher levels of complexity. This hierarchical processing allows for the integration of sensory inputs into complex perceptions and decision-making processes, supporting functions like vision, language, and motor control.
Concept
The thalamocortical loop is a critical neural circuit that connects the thalamus with the cerebral cortex, facilitating sensory processing, attention, and consciousness. It plays a pivotal role in the relay and modulation of sensory information, as well as in the generation of brain rhythms involved in cognitive functions and sleep regulation.
Concept
A brain lesion is an area of damage or abnormality in the brain tissue, which can result from various causes such as trauma, infection, or disease. The impact of a brain lesion on an individual's health and function depends on its size, location, and underlying cause, requiring careful diagnosis and management.
Concept
Structural connectivity refers to the anatomical connections between different regions of the brain, typically assessed through neuroimaging techniques like diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) which maps the white matter pathways. It is crucial for understanding how brain regions communicate and can be altered in neurological disorders, affecting cognitive and behavioral functions.
Concept
Neural anatomy is the study of the structure and organization of the nervous system, encompassing the central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. It provides the foundation for understanding how neural structures underpin physiological processes and behaviors.
Concept
The gracile fasciculus is a bundle of nerve fibers located in the dorsal column of the spinal cord, responsible for transmitting fine touch, vibration, and proprioceptive information from the lower half of the body to the brain. It is part of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway, which plays a crucial role in the somatosensory system for processing sensory information from the body to the cerebral cortex.
Concept
The fasciculus cuneatus is a bundle of nerve fibers in the dorsal column of the spinal cord that transmits sensory information such as fine touch, proprioception, and vibration from the upper body to the brain. It is crucial for the somatosensory pathway and is part of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus system, which is responsible for conveying precise sensory information to the cerebral cortex.
Concept
Primary sensory areas are regions of the cerebral cortex responsible for processing sensory information from the body, each dedicated to a specific sense such as vision, hearing, or touch. These areas receive input directly from the thalamus and are crucial for the initial stages of sensory perception and interpretation.
Concept
Tertiary neurons are part of the sensory pathway that relay information from secondary neurons to the cerebral cortex, playing a crucial role in processing sensory inputs such as touch, temperature, and pain. They are typically located in the thalamus, where they act as a final relay station before the sensory information reaches the cortical areas for perception and interpretation.
Concept
The brain is a complex organ responsible for processing sensory information, regulating physiological processes, and enabling cognitive functions such as thinking, memory, and emotion. It operates through intricate networks of neurons and synapses, which communicate via electrical and chemical signals to coordinate bodily functions and behaviors.
Concept
The corticobulbar tract is a collection of motor neurons that originate in the cerebral cortex and terminate in the brainstem, facilitating voluntary control over the muscles of the face, head, and neck. It plays a crucial role in the neural pathways that govern speech, swallowing, and facial expressions by connecting the cortex to cranial nerve nuclei.
Concept
Cortical connectivity refers to the complex network of neural connections within the cerebral cortex, which is crucial for integrating information across different brain regions to facilitate cognitive functions. This connectivity can be structural, involving physical pathways, or functional, involving synchronized neural activity, and is essential for understanding brain dynamics and disorders.
Concept
Corticothalamic projections are neural pathways that connect the cerebral cortex to the thalamus, playing a crucial role in modulating sensory information and cognitive processes. These projections facilitate communication between different brain regions, influencing attention, perception, and consciousness by regulating thalamic activity.
3