This influence on our decision-making process may occur covertly (unconsciously), via the brainstem and ventral striatum, or overtly (consciously), engaging higher cortical cognitive processing.
The concept of cortical influences provided reasons to raise questions about the process of parturition among humans, characterized by a high encephalization quotient.
This species probably uses its vibrissae for hydrodynamic (and tactile) sensing based on behavioral observations and their large cortical representation.
