title: Visual processing of optic flow and motor control in the human posterior cingulate sulcus.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that the human posterior cingulate contains a visual processing area selective for optic flow (CSv). However, other studies performed in both humans and monkeys have identified a somatotopic motor region at the same location (CMA). Taken together, these findings suggested the possibility that the posterior cingulate contains a single visuomotor integration region. To test this idea we used fMRI to identify both visual and motor areas of the posterior cingulate in the same brains and to test the activity of those regions during a visuomotor task. Results indicated that rather than a single visuomotor region the posterior cingulate contains adjacent but separate motor and visual regions. CSv lies in the fundus of the cingulate sulcus, while CMA lies in the dorsal bank of the sulcus, slightly superior in terms of stereotaxic coordinates. A surprising and novel finding was that activity in CSv was suppressed during the visuomotor task, despite the visual stimulus being identical to that used to localize the region. This may provide an important clue to the specific role played by this region in the utilization of optic flow to control self-motion.
authors: Centre for Integrative Neuroscience & Neurodynamics, Department of Psychology, University of Reading, UK. Electronic address: d.t.field@reading.ac.uk.
authors: David T
authors: DT
authors: Field
authors: Centre for Integrative Neuroscience & Neurodynamics, Department of Psychology, University of Reading, UK. Electronic address: l.a.inman@pgr.reading.ac.uk.
authors: Laura A
authors: LA
authors: Inman
authors: Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: lili@hku.hk.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D057849:Optic Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cingulate sulcus motor area; Cingulate sulcus visual area; Optic flow; Posterior cingulate; Self-motion