Final answer:
Afferent fibers synapse in the thalamus, which relays and processes sensory information before it is sent to the cerebral cortex for further refinement in the association area and integration in multimodal areas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The afferent fibers carrying general sensory input synapse in the thalamus, from where the information is relayed to the general sensory area of the cerebral cortex. The thalamus serves as a pivotal relay station for most sensory information, excluding the sense of smell. It processes sensory data before it reaches the sensory cortex, which is the site for initial conscious perception of sensory stimuli. The primary sensory cortex then sends information to an association area, which further refines and processes the sensory input. Finally, the processed sensory information may be moved to a multimodal integration area for a comprehensive perception.