Cognition chapter 27
Learning objectives: Information from the thalamus projects into layer 4 projects to
• Describe the basics of neocortical structure: layers, cells and layer 2 and 3, those layers project to layer 5 where the cells
connectivity project to each other and then go back to the thalamus, which is
• Know the difference between primary sensory/motor and the main route.
association cortex
• Explain the main functions of the parietal, temporal and frontal
association cortex
• Distinguish symptoms of patients with damage in either of these
structures
• Parietal cortex: visual neglect, attention
Temporal cortex: agnosias, (facial) recognition
Association cortex
Cognition and the cortex Primary sensory and motor cortices make up a fraction of the
Cognition is the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge human cortex. Primary sensory and motor cortex regions receive
and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. sensory information via thalamic nuclei. The Association cortex
It involves memory, attention, language, experience, problem- receives input from different thalamic inputs, including the
solving, and planning. The integration of complex information pulvinar and medial dorsal nuclei. The association cortex is the
requires inputs from multiple different brain areas. Circuits for largest area of the cortex that receives input from different
emotional processing as well as cortical brain regions are crucial thalamic inputs that are not so specific and integrates and
for cognitive tasks. associates this information together.
Subdivisions of the human brain into multiple areas are based on
cytoarchitecture differences (histological stainings). The picture
shows the functional mapping of brain regions based on responses
from patients and monkeys undergoing brain surgery. Parietal association cortex
Visual neglect is a problem where the eyesight is fine and you
can get visual input from the retina, and process it normally, but
the brain ignores one side of the visual field because there is
damage on the other side of the brain.
Today, the human brain is divided into many more
cytoarchitectonic regions based on lamination, cell density, cell The right parietal cortex is more dominant than the left, though
types and specific connectivity with other brain regions. the right visual field activates both parietal cortex hemispheres.
The reason for this is that the left parietal cortex seems to be
Cortical structure much more involved in language processing. This means that when
The typical sensory and motor neocortex has 6 layers. Pyramidal you have damage to the right parietal lobe there will be severe
cells are the main excitatory neuron type found in the deep neglect on the left side. If there is damage on the left side, the
superficial cortical layers. The typical neocortex has 6 layers, neglect is minimal.
which are sometimes further subdivided into layers 5A and 5B.
The older brain regions, the paleocortex and the archicortex have The purple lines in the picture indicate the spatial region of visual
respectively 3 and 4 layers. attention. You can also see that the right hemisphere and partial
bilateral lesions affect the patient the greatest.
Learning objectives: Information from the thalamus projects into layer 4 projects to
• Describe the basics of neocortical structure: layers, cells and layer 2 and 3, those layers project to layer 5 where the cells
connectivity project to each other and then go back to the thalamus, which is
• Know the difference between primary sensory/motor and the main route.
association cortex
• Explain the main functions of the parietal, temporal and frontal
association cortex
• Distinguish symptoms of patients with damage in either of these
structures
• Parietal cortex: visual neglect, attention
Temporal cortex: agnosias, (facial) recognition
Association cortex
Cognition and the cortex Primary sensory and motor cortices make up a fraction of the
Cognition is the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge human cortex. Primary sensory and motor cortex regions receive
and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. sensory information via thalamic nuclei. The Association cortex
It involves memory, attention, language, experience, problem- receives input from different thalamic inputs, including the
solving, and planning. The integration of complex information pulvinar and medial dorsal nuclei. The association cortex is the
requires inputs from multiple different brain areas. Circuits for largest area of the cortex that receives input from different
emotional processing as well as cortical brain regions are crucial thalamic inputs that are not so specific and integrates and
for cognitive tasks. associates this information together.
Subdivisions of the human brain into multiple areas are based on
cytoarchitecture differences (histological stainings). The picture
shows the functional mapping of brain regions based on responses
from patients and monkeys undergoing brain surgery. Parietal association cortex
Visual neglect is a problem where the eyesight is fine and you
can get visual input from the retina, and process it normally, but
the brain ignores one side of the visual field because there is
damage on the other side of the brain.
Today, the human brain is divided into many more
cytoarchitectonic regions based on lamination, cell density, cell The right parietal cortex is more dominant than the left, though
types and specific connectivity with other brain regions. the right visual field activates both parietal cortex hemispheres.
The reason for this is that the left parietal cortex seems to be
Cortical structure much more involved in language processing. This means that when
The typical sensory and motor neocortex has 6 layers. Pyramidal you have damage to the right parietal lobe there will be severe
cells are the main excitatory neuron type found in the deep neglect on the left side. If there is damage on the left side, the
superficial cortical layers. The typical neocortex has 6 layers, neglect is minimal.
which are sometimes further subdivided into layers 5A and 5B.
The older brain regions, the paleocortex and the archicortex have The purple lines in the picture indicate the spatial region of visual
respectively 3 and 4 layers. attention. You can also see that the right hemisphere and partial
bilateral lesions affect the patient the greatest.
