Neuronal correlates of sensorimotor association in stimulus-response compatibility.
Neuronal mechanisms underlying stimulus-response (S-R) associations in S-R compatibility tasks were identified in 2 experiments with monkeys. Visual stimuli were presented on the left and right calling for left-right movements under congruent and incongruent S-R mapping instructions. High- and low-pitched tones calling for left-right movements were presented to the left and right ear, and the stimulus side was irrelevant. Single neurons sensitive to the S-R mapping rule were found in the primary motor cortex. The large overlap between the neuronal populations sensitive to the stimulus side, the S-R mapping rule, and the response side, respectively, is consistent with the idea that sensory-to-motor transformation is a continuous rather than a discrete process. Results partly support the hypothesis that the increase in reaction time with incongruent mapping is caused by the automatic activation of the congruent, but erroneous, response.
Riehle
A
A
Center for Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, National Center for Scientific Research, Marseille, France. ariehle@lnf.cnrs-mrs.fr
Kornblum
S
S
Requin
J
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D011930:Reaction Time; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*