title: Distance- and error-related discharge of cells in premotor cortex of rhesus monkeys.
abstract: Previous work on the premotor cortex has emphasized its role in preparation for movement. In this study, we concentrated on the activity that occurs during a movement, particularly when the required movement amplitude is unexpectedly changed by introduction of a visuo-spatial error. In two rhesus monkeys, discharge of premotor neurons was recorded during a multi-joint reaching movement. Units could be divided into two categories: (1) those whose discharge monotonically increased or decreased with movement amplitude; and (2) those whose discharge was modulated with the unexpected change in amplitude but not monotonically. We suggest that the latter class of cells may be detecting or responding to a visuo-motor error. Thus, the premotor cortex is not only involved in preparation but plays a role in the ongoing control of movement execution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Physiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flament
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Onstott
authors.forename: Q G
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ebner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology