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- News from the Institutes
Two Brain Areas Compete for Control
The locus coeruleus and the ventral tegmental area compete for control over the formation of memory content
14.03.2025
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- Glossary
ventral
A positional term – ventral means "towards the abdomen." In relation to the nervous system, it refers to a direction perpendicular to the neural axis, i.e., downwards or forwards. In animals (that do not walk upright), the term is simpler, as it always means toward the abdomen. Due to the upright posture of humans, the brain bends in relation to the spinal cord, making ventral mean "forward."
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- Glossary
Ventral tegmental area
Located in the midbrain, the uppermost section of the brain stem, is the ventral tegmental area (VTA) – a central component of the reward system. The area itself is not particularly large, but its influence is immense: the neurons of the VTA send their axons to the nucleus accumbens and widely into the prefrontal cortex (PFC), where they release the neuromodulator dopamine. In this way, they enhance learning processes, but can also contribute to the development of addictions.
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- Percieve
- Hearing
From Wiggling to the wonderful Variety of Sounds
It is a long way from purely mechanical vibrations to the world of sounds and tones.
17.10.2025
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- Glossary
Posterior ventral nucleus
A nucleus of the dorsal thalamus that serves as the main somatosensory thalamic nucleus. The VPL receives somatosensory afferents from the body via the spinal cord (pressure, touch, vibration, proprioception, pain, temperature), while the VPM receives afferents from the head region via the trigeminal nerve. It transmits this information to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and thus plays a central role in the awareness of somatosensory stimuli, including pain.
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- Glossary
Ventral pathway
The part of the visual processing pathway that deals with size, shape, color, and ultimately object recognition. The what pathway runs from V1 and V2 to the areas of the temporal lobe.
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Basal Ganglia
Whenever we perform a deliberate movement, core areas deep within the brain are involved.
23.08.2011
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- Discover
- The Fly
Miniature Brains
Fly brain, my foot! With just a few cells, Drosophila achieves amazing things.
24.01.2026
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Thalamus dorsalis
The structure is complex, the tasks are varied. It supports the senses, motor skills, and psyche.
28.11.2025
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Occipital Lobe
The sophisticated interconnection of the occipital lobe demonstrates just how complex the visual process is.
28.08.2025
