Contrasting Neuronal Activity in the Dorsal and Ventral Premotor Areas During Preparation to Reach

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 1123-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiji Hoshi ◽  
Jun Tanji
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Target Location ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Target Acquisition ◽  
Trigger Signal ◽  
Arm Reaching ◽  
Motor Set ◽  
Premotor Areas

We compared neuronal activity in the dorsal and ventral premotor areas (PMd and PMv, respectively) when monkeys were preparing to perform arm-reaching movements in a motor-set period before their actual execution. They were required to select one of four possible movements (reaching to a target on the left or right, using either the left or right arm) in accordance with two sets of instruction cues, followed by a delay period, and a subsequent motor-set period. During the motor-set period, the monkeys were required to get ready for a movement-trigger signal to start the arm-reach promptly. We analyzed the activity of 211 PMd and 109 PMv neurons that showed selectivity for the combination of the two instruction cues during the motor-set period. A majority (53%) of PMd neurons exhibited activity significantly tuned to both target location and arm use, and an approximately equal number of PMd neurons showed selectivity to either forthcoming arm use or target location. In contrast, 60% of PMv neurons showed selectivity for target location only and not for arm use. These findings point to preference in the use of neuronal activity in the two areas: preparation for action in the PMd and preparation for target acquisition in the PMv.

scholarly journals Neural correlates of target selection for reaching movements in superior colliculus

2015 ◽  
Vol 113 (5) ◽  
pp. 1414-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joo-Hyun Song ◽  
Robert M. McPeek
Keyword(s):  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Intermediate Layers ◽  
Arm Reaching ◽  
Priority Map ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Selection For

We recently demonstrated that inactivation of the primate superior colliculus (SC) causes a deficit in target selection for arm-reaching movements when the reach target is located in the inactivated field (Song JH, Rafal RD, McPeek RM. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108: E1433–E1440, 2011). This is consistent with the notion that the SC is part of a general-purpose target selection network beyond eye movements. To understand better the role of SC activity in reach target selection, we examined how individual SC neurons in the intermediate layers discriminate a reach target from distractors. Monkeys reached to touch a color oddball target among distractors while maintaining fixation. We found that many SC neurons robustly discriminate the goal of the reaching movement before the onset of the reach even though no saccade is made. To identify these cells in the context of conventional SC cell classification schemes, we also recorded visual, delay-period, and saccade-related responses in a delayed saccade task. On average, SC cells that discriminated the reach target from distractors showed significantly higher visual and delay-period activity than nondiscriminating cells, but there was no significant difference in saccade-related activity. Whereas a majority of SC neurons that discriminated the reach target showed significant delay-period activity, all nondiscriminating cells lacked such activity. We also found that some cells without delay-period activity did discriminate the reach target from distractors. We conclude that the majority of intermediate-layer SC cells discriminate a reach target from distractors, consistent with the idea that the SC contains a priority map used for effector-independent target selection.

scholarly journals Effects of target location and uncertainty on reaching movements in standing position

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz de França Bahia Loureiro Junior ◽  
Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira de Freitas ◽  
Paulo Barbosa de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Target Location ◽  
Movement Time ◽  
Target Position ◽  
Standing Position ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Radial Error ◽  
Arm Reaching ◽  
The Right

The effects of target location and uncertainty of target position on reaching movements while standing were investigated. Ten healthy, right-handed adults stood facing a 17'' touchscreen. They were instructed to press with their right index fingertip a push bottom and touch the center of the target displayed on the screen after it was lighted on, moving quickly their arm. The target was shown either ipsi- or contralateral to the right arm and either in a certain or uncertain position. Reaction time (RT), movement time (MT), and radial error (RE) were assessed. Results revealed shorter RT (≈ 35 ms) and smaller RE (≈ 0.19 cm) for certain than for uncertain condition and slightly longer RT (≈ 8 ms) and MT (≈ 18 ms) for reaches towards the contralateral target. In conclusion, the findings of this study showing the effect of uncertainty of target location as well as target position are also applied to arm reaching in standing position.

Neurons in the Rostral Cingulate Motor Area Monitor Multiple Phases of Visuomotor Behavior With Modest Parametric Selectivity

2005 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 640-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiji Hoshi ◽  
Hiromasa Sawamura ◽  
Jun Tanji
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Target Location ◽  
The Other ◽  
Motor Area ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Visual Signal ◽  
Behavioral Task ◽  
Visuomotor Behavior ◽  
Cingulate Motor Area ◽  
Motor Set

We examined the cellular activity in the rostral cingulate motor area (CMAr) with respect to multiple behavioral factors that ranged from the retrieval and processing of associative visual signals to the planning and execution of instructed actions. We analyzed the neuronal activity in monkeys while they performed a behavioral task in which 2 visual instruction cues were given successively with an intervening delay. One cue instructed the location of the target to be reached; the other cue instructed which arm was to be used. After a second delay, the monkey received a motor-set cue to be prepared to initiate the motor task in accordance with instructions. Finally, after a go signal, the monkey reached for the instructed target with the instructed arm. We found that the activity of neurons in the CMAr changed profoundly throughout the behavioral task, which suggested that the CMAr participated in each of the behavioral processing steps. However, the neuronal activity was only modestly selective for the spatial location of the visual signal. We also found that selectivity for the instructional information delivered with the signals (target location and arm use) was modest. Furthermore, during the motor-set and movement periods, few CMAr neurons exhibited selectivity for such motor parameters as the location of the target or the arm to be used. The abundance and robustness of the neuronal activity within the CMAr that reflected each step of the behavioral task and the modest selectivity of the same cells for sensorimotor parameters are strikingly different from the preponderance of selectivity that we have observed in other frontal areas. Based on these results, we propose that the CMAr participates in monitoring individual behavioral events to keep track of the progress of required behavioral tasks. On the other hand, CMAr activity during motor planning may reflect the emergence of a general intention for action.

Set-related neuronal activity in the premotor cortex of rhesus monkeys: effects of changes in motor set

1985 ◽  
Vol 223 (1232) ◽  
pp. 331-354 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Motor Preparation ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Sustained Activity ◽  
Sustained Effect ◽  
Motor Set ◽  
Forelimb Movement ◽  
The Right

Previous studies have suggested that the premotor cortex plays a role in motor preparation. We have tested this hypothesis in macaque monkeys by examining neuronal activity during an enforced, 1.5—3.0 s delay period between the presentation of an instruction for movement and the onset of that movement. Two targets for movement were available to the monkey, one on the left and one on the right. Illumination of one of the targets served as the instruction for a forelimb movement. It is known that there are cells in the premotor cortex that have directionally specific, sustained activity increases or decreases following such instructions. If the premotor cortex is involved in the preparation for movement in a particular direction, then changing the target from one to the opposite side during the delay period should lead to a pronounced change in sustained neuronal activity. Further, removing the instruction, while still requiring movement to the target, should have little or no sustained effect. Seventy cells showed the predicted activity patterns, thus sup­porting the view that the premotor cortex plays a role in motor preparation.

Modest Gaze-Related Discharge Modulation in Monkey Dorsal Premotor Cortex During a Reaching Task Performed With Free Fixation

2002 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 1064-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Cisek ◽  
John F. Kalaska
Keyword(s):  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Gaze Direction ◽  
Dorsal Premotor Cortex ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Reaching Task ◽  
Oculomotor Behavior ◽  
Arm Reaching ◽  
Gaze Angle

Recent studies have shown that gaze angle modulates reach-related neural activity in many cortical areas, including the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd), when gaze direction is experimentally controlled by lengthy periods of imposed fixation. We looked for gaze-related modulation in PMd during the brief fixations that occur when a monkey is allowed to look around freely without experimentally imposed gaze control while performing a center-out delayed arm-reaching task. During the course of the instructed-delay period, we found significant effects of gaze angle in 27–51% of PMd cells. However, for 90–95% of cells, these effects accounted for <20% of the observed discharge variance. The effect of gaze was significantly weaker than the effect of reach-related variables. In particular, cell activity during the delay period was more strongly related to the intended movement expressed in arm-related coordinates than in gaze-related coordinates. Under the same experimental conditions, many cells in medial parietal cortex exhibited much stronger gaze-related modulation and expressed intended movement in gaze-related coordinates. In summary, gaze direction-related modulation of cell activity is indeed expressed in PMd during the brief fixations that occur in natural oculomotor behavior, but its overall effect on cell activity is modest.

Role of Non-Lesioned Hemisphere in Affected Arm Reaching Movements After Severe Stroke: A Pilot Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 95 (10) ◽  
pp. e26
Author(s):  
Sambit Mohapatra ◽  
Evan Chan ◽  
Rachael Harrington ◽  
Alexander Dromerick ◽  
Peter Turkeltaub ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Severe Stroke ◽  
Arm Reaching

Differential Involvement of Neurons in the Dorsal and Ventral Premotor Cortex During Processing of Visual Signals for Action Planning

2006 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 3596-3616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiji Hoshi ◽  
Jun Tanji
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Target Location ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Action Planning ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Visual Cue ◽  
Ventral Premotor Cortex ◽  
Neuron Response

We examined neuronal activity in the dorsal and ventral premotor cortex (PMd and PMv, respectively) to explore the role of each motor area in processing visual signals for action planning. We recorded neuronal activity while monkeys performed a behavioral task during which two visual instruction cues were given successively with an intervening delay. One cue instructed the location of the target to be reached, and the other indicated which arm was to be used. We found that the properties of neuronal activity in the PMd and PMv differed in many respects. After the first cue was given, PMv neuron response mostly reflected the spatial position of the visual cue. In contrast, PMd neuron response also reflected what the visual cue instructed, such as which arm to be used or which target to be reached. After the second cue was given, PMv neurons initially responded to the cue's visuospatial features and later reflected what the two visual cues instructed, progressively increasing information about the target location. In contrast, the activity of the majority of PMd neurons responded to the second cue with activity reflecting a combination of information supplied by the first and second cues. Such activity, already reflecting a forthcoming action, appeared with short latencies (<400 ms) and persisted throughout the delay period. In addition, both the PMv and PMd showed bilateral representation on visuospatial information and motor-target or effector information. These results further elucidate the functional specialization of the PMd and PMv during the processing of visual information for action planning.

Feedback Control of Functional Electrical Stimulation for 2-D Arm Reaching Movements

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 2033-2043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Sharif Razavian ◽  
Borna Ghannadi ◽  
Naser Mehrabi ◽  
Mark Charlet ◽  
John McPhee
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Feedback Control ◽  
Functional Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Reaching Movements ◽  
Arm Reaching

Primate premotor cortex: modulation of preparatory neuronal activity by gaze angle

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 886-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Boussaoud
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Target Position ◽  
Delay Period ◽  
Coordinate Space ◽  
Eye Position ◽  
Related Activity ◽  
Visuomotor Task ◽  
Small Spot ◽  
The Right

1. This study investigated whether the neuronal activity of a cortical area devoted to the control of limb movements is affected by variations in eye position within the orbit. Two rhesus monkeys were trained to perform a conditional visuomotor task with an instructed delay period while maintaining gaze on a fixation point. 2. The experimental design required each monkey to put its hand on a metal touch pad located at arm's length and fixate a small spot of light presented on a computer screen. Then a visual cue came on, at the fixation point or elsewhere, the color of which instructed the monkey to move its limb to one of two touch pads according to a conditional rule. A red cue meant a movement to the left, whereas a green one instructed a movement to the right. The cue lasted for a variable delay period (1-3 s), and the monkey had to wait for its offset, the go signal, before performing the correct response. The fixation point and the cues were presented at various screen locations in a combination that allowed examination of whether eye position and/or target position modulate the neuronal activity. Because the monkeys' heads were fixed, all changes in eye position reflected movements in a craniocentric, head-centered, coordinate space. 3. The activity of single neurons was recorded from dorsal premotor cortex (PMd). For most neurons (79%), the activity during the instructed delay period (set-related activity) reflects the direction of the upcoming limb movement but varies significantly with eye position.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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