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4 - Recordings from the motor cortex during skilled grasping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2009

By
Thomas Brochier  and
Roger N. Lemon
Edited by
Dennis A. Nowak  and
Joachim Hermsdörfer
Dennis A. Nowak
Affiliation:
Klinik Kipfenberg, Kipfenberg, Germany
Joachim Hermsdörfer
Affiliation:
Technical University of Munich
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Summary

Summary

This chapter offers an overview of the most recent techniques for recording of cortical activity in the awake, behaving monkey. We review the different types of signals that can be extracted from extracellular cortical recordings made with microelectrodes. We also discuss how these signals can be related to dexterous hand movements. This leads us to consider the functional organization of the motor cortex for the control of the distal muscles during grasp.

Introduction

The unique ability of human and non-human primates to interact with their environment is dependent upon the skilled use of the hands for grasping and manipulation of objects. The grasping of objects requires continuous interaction between the sensory processing of the object's physical properties and the motor mechanisms controlling the shape of the hand and the positioning of the hand and digits upon the object. Over the past 30 years, intracortical extracellular recording techniques in the awake monkey have been an essential tool to investigate the organization of the cortical circuits involved in the control of grasp. It has been shown that multiple areas in the parietal and frontal lobes contribute to the transformation from sensory inputs to motor outputs for efficient grasp. This cortical network influences the spinal circuitry that controls the distal hand and digit muscles. Part of this corticospinal control is mediated by direct cortico-motoneuronal (CM) projections from the primary motor cortex (M1) onto motoneurons innervating hand muscles.

Type
Chapter
Information
Sensorimotor Control of Grasping
Physiology and Pathophysiology
 , pp. 52 - 60
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

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References

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