It is generally agreed that the cerebral cortex can be segregated into structurally and functionally distinct areas. Anatomical subdivision of Broca's area has been achieved using different microanatomical criteria, such as cytoarchitecture and distribution of neuroreceptors. However, brain function also strongly depends upon anatomical connectivity, which therefore forms a sensible criterion f...

In this issue of Neuron, Nelson and colleagues report a novel parcellation of human lateral parietal cortex based on task-induced response profiles and resting-state functional connectivity. Their findings inform current debates about the contributions of parietal cortex to cognition, including the retrieval of episodic memories.

This article provides an integrated review of the basic anatomy and physiology of the pain processing pathways. The transmission and parcellation of noxious stimuli from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system is discussed. In addition, the inhibitory and excitatory systems that regulate pain along with the consequences of dysfunction are considered.

Connectivity-based parcellation using diffusion MRI has been extensively used to parcellate subcortical areas and the association cortex. Connectivity profiles are vital for connectivity-based parcellation. Two categories of connectivity profiles are generally utilized, including global connectivity profiles, in which the connectivity information is from the seed to the whole brain, and long co...