title: Context-related representation of timing processes in monkey motor cortex.
abstract: Precise timing is essential for motor performance, though the neuronal representation of time is unknown. To explore neuronal correlates of timing processes during movement preparation and execution, we compared the activities of neurons recorded in monkey motor cortex during the performance of two tasks requiring correct time estimation in different contextual situations. Despite the fact that both tasks had many common features (e.g. same movements, same time intervals to estimate), they involved different degrees of spatial and temporal uncertainty. Our findings indicate that time is indeed represented in neuronal activity of the motor cortex, albeit strongly dependent on context and not in an invariant manner as a distinct process per se.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Neurosciences Physiologiques et Cognitives, INPC-CNRS, 31 chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coulmance
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riehle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology*