Feedback Pathways

The brain's pattern of connectivity involves two-way pathways: feedforward pathways and feedback pathways. For instance, if area A sends signals to area B (feedforward pathway), then area B almost invariably sends signals back to area A (feedback pathway). This entry focuses on the structural and functional aspects of the feedback pathways.

Structural Aspects

The brain's architecture reveals a modular structure, with each module performing a specialized function. In the visual system, signals travel rapidly from the retina along feedforward pathways to the input region of the visual cortex, known as the primary visual cortex. Signals are then processed in separate modules, each optimally tuned to a different stimulus attribute such as orientation, color, and motion. The feedforward pathways are matched by corresponding feedback pathways back to the ...

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