Limb-specific representation for reaching in the posterior parietal cortex.
To reach for something we see, the brain must integrate the target location with the limb to be used for reaching. Neuronal activity in the parietal reach region (PRR) located in the posterior parietal cortex represents targets for reaching. Does this representation depend on the limb to be used? We found a continuum of limb-dependent and limb-independent responses: some neurons represented targets for movements of either limb, whereas others represented only contralateral-limb targets. Only a few cells represented ipsilateral-limb targets. Furthermore, these representations were not dependent on preferred direction. Additional experiments provide evidence that the PRR is specifically involved in contralateral-limb movements: firing rates are correlated with contralateral- but not ipsilateral-limb reaction times. The current study therefore provides novel evidence that the PRR operates as a limb-dependent stage that lies further along the sensory-motor transformation for visually guided reaching than previously expected.
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. steve@eye-hand.wustl.edu
Steve W C
SW
Chang
Anthony R
AR
Dickinson
Lawrence H
LH
Snyder
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005121:Extremities / Q000294:innervation*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000166:cytology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors