Final answer:
The brain processes visual, auditory, and somatosensory information through specialized pathways and regions within the cerebral cortex, integrating them to provide a seamless percept of our environment. Considerable portions of the brain are active during tasks involving sensory perception.
Step-by-step explanation:
The processing of sensory input by the brain is an essential function that allows us to recognize danger, find food, identify potential mates, and engage in sophisticated activities. The cerebral cortex is divided into areas dedicated to processing visual, auditory, and somatosensory systems. Visual and tactile information is processed through specific pathways, with visual signals being routed via the retina through the thalamus to the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe. Here, shapes and depths are recognized, with input from both eyes allowing for the perception of binocular depth cues.
Auditory signals, on the other hand, are routed through the ear to the brain via auditory nerves. The integration of these senses results in a seamless percept of the environment, rather than separate modalities. While performing tasks that involve sensory input, areas distributed around the brain are active, such as the motor areas for eye movement and finger pressing, and during these activities, a significant portion of the brain is used, debunking the myth that humans only use 10 percent of their brains.