The effect of cortical interactions on motor output by the primary motor cortex

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The primate sensorimotor network is composed of several specialized cortical areas that can interact with the primary motor cortex (M1) to produce movements. During evolution, it appears that specialized cortical areas were added or expanded to support an increase of the repertoire and complexity of hand movements. We currently have limited understanding of how the connections among these specialized cortical areas are organized within M1 and how they participate in the production of motor outputs. Our LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE is to determine the role of cortical interactions in the generation of arm and hand movements. Our previous experiments in capuchin monkeys (Cebus) have shown that premotor areas and area 5 have preferential connections with largely segregated subregions in the hand representation of M1. These results change the way we view M1 and suggest that it is composed of several modules, each part of a specific cortical network. In this cycle of funding, we pursue our research on these exciting findings. Our SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES are to study 1) the topographic organization of cortical interactions of premotor areas and area 5 with M1, 2) the relative contribution of the different pathways through which cortical areas can modulate M1 outputs and 3) the cortical inputs and interactions of M1 with additional areas of the parietal cortex.