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1. Glossary

Subiculum

The transition zone between the cornu ammonis and the entorhinal cortex is called the subiculum.

1. 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.

1. Glossary

Inferior occipital gyrus

Part of the occipital lobe, the rearmost of the four large lobes of the cerebral cortex. Functionally, this is where visual information is processed. The inferior occipital gyrus is part of the early visual association areas.

1. Glossary

Olfactory tract

Smell information travels via the olfactory tract from the olfactory bulb, located just above the nose, to the primary olfactory cortex.

1. Glossary

Cortical blindness

When the primary visual cortex is destroyed, those affected are effectively blind, even though their eyes are undamaged. However, they are often unconsciously able to grasp and catch objects and even name them when asked to guess. This effect is known as blind sight.

1. Glossary

Visual system

The visual system is the part of the nervous system that processes visual information. It primarily comprises the eye, the optic nerve, the optic chiasm, the optic tract, the lateral geniculate nucleus, the optic radiation, the primary visual cortex, and the visual association cortices.

1. Glossary

Cerebellum

The cerebellum is an important part of the brain, located at the back of the brain stem and below the occipital lobe. It consists of two cerebellar hemispheres covered by the cerebellar cortex and plays an important role in motor processes, among other things. It develops from the rhombencephalon. 

1. Glossary

Medial nuclei

The medial thalamic nuclei, especially the mediodorsal nucleus, are located in the medial thalamus and are closely connected to the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. They are primarily responsible for higher cognitive functions such as planning, attention, and working memory, but are also involved in processing emotions and motivation. In addition, they integrate complex information from different areas of the brain. 

1. Topic

Structure and Function

Deep within the brain, wondrous things happen

1. Glossary

Hypercomplex cell

A nerve cell in the primary visual cortex that responds most strongly to short, moving lines or corners in its receptive field. It exhibits end-stopping, meaning that the response strength decreases when the stimulus becomes longer than optimal. Hypercomplex cells are sensitive to the orientation and direction of movement of the stimulus and contribute to the perception of edges, corners, and curves.