CORTICAL MECHANISMS IN PERCEPTION AND BEHAVIOR

本研究的长期目标是利用生理学、行为学和解剖学的方法对猕猴的大脑皮层和基底神经节进行研究，从而有助于理解运动的感觉控制。重点将放在研究运动前皮层和顶叶皮层在肢体和头部运动的视觉控制中的作用。一个主要的目标是继续当前的研究假设，这些区域代表空间在“身体部分”为中心的坐标系，而不是在视网膜或头部为中心的坐标系。第二个主要目的是了解前运动神经元的感觉和运动特性之间的关系。第三个主要目的是探索空间注意的皮质机制。第四个主要目标是追踪运动前皮层的解剖学输入，并分析它们对运动前神经元特性的贡献。第五个主要目的是对比背侧和腹侧运动前皮层损伤对行为的影响。第六个主要目的是比较顶叶7b区、腹侧运动前皮层和腹外侧壳核的空间编码。这项研究将有助于诊断和治疗由发育异常、疾病、创伤、衰老和异常环境（如外太空）引起的感觉运动功能障碍。本研究也有助于视觉和肢体假体以及物体操纵人工装置的发展。

The long-term goal of this research is to contribute to the understanding of the sensory control of movement through studies of the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia of macaques using physiological, behavioral and anatomical methods. Emphasis will be placed on investigating the role of premotor and parietal cortex in the visual control of limb and head movement. One major aim is to continue current research on the hypothesis that these areas represent space in "body-part" centered coordinate systems, rather than in retinal or head centered ones. A second major aim is to understand the relation between the sensory and motor properties of premotor neurons. A third major aim is to explore cortical mechanisms of spatial attention. A fourth major aim is to trace the anatomical inputs to premotor cortex and analyze their contributions to the properties of premotor neurons. A fifth major aim is to contrast the behavioral effects of lesions of dorsal and ventral premotor cortex. A sixth major aim is to compare the coding of space in parietal Area 7b, in the ventral premotor cortex and in the ventrolateral putamen. This research should contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of sensory-motor function caused by developmental abnormalities, disease, trauma, aging and unusual environments such as in outer space. The proposed research may also contribute to the development of visual and limb prostheses and artificial devices for object manipulation.