title: Computational Architecture of the Parieto-Frontal Network Underlying Cognitive-Motor Control in Monkeys.
abstract: The statistical structure of intrinsic parietal and parieto-frontal connectivity in monkeys was studied through hierarchical cluster analysis. Based on their inputs, parietal and frontal areas were grouped into different clusters, including a variable number of areas that in most instances occupied contiguous architectonic fields. Connectivity tended to be stronger locally: that is, within areas of the same cluster. Distant frontal and parietal areas were targeted through connections that in most instances were reciprocal and often of different strength. These connections linked parietal and frontal clusters formed by areas sharing basic functional properties. This led to five different medio-laterally oriented pillar domains spanning the entire extent of the parieto-frontal system, in the posterior parietal, anterior parietal, cingulate, frontal, and prefrontal cortex. Different information processing streams could be identified thanks to inter-domain connectivity. These streams encode fast hand reaching and its control, complex visuomotor action spaces, hand grasping, action/intention recognition, oculomotor intention and visual attention, behavioral goals and strategies, and reward and decision value outcome. Most of these streams converge on the cingulate domain, the main hub of the system. All of them are embedded within a larger eye-hand coordination network, from which they can be selectively set in motion by task demands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome SAPIENZA, Rome, 00185, Italy; Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine, and Orthopedics, University of Rome SAPIENZA, Rome, 00185, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caminiti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Neuroscience, University of Parma , Parma, 43125, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borra
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome SAPIENZA , Rome, 00185, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Visco-Comandini
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome SAPIENZA , Rome, 00185, Italy.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6565-357X
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battaglia-Mayer
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: Bruno B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Averbeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Neuroscience, University of Parma , Parma, 43125, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0220-0618
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luppino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008251:Macaca; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: cluster analysis; cognitive-motor behavior; cortico-cortical connectivity; frontal lobe; macaque monkey; parietal lobe