Limb-specific representation for reaching in the posterior parietal cortex

Steve W.C. Chang, Anthony R. Dickinson, Lawrence H. Snyder

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

78 Scopus citations

Abstract

To reach for something we see, the brain must integrate the target location with the limb to be used for reaching. Neuronal activity in the parietal reach region (PRR) located in the posterior parietal cortex represents targets for reaching. Does this representation depend on the limb to be used? We found a continuum of limb-dependent and limb-independent responses: some neurons represented targets for movements of either limb, whereas others represented only contralateral-limb targets. Only a few cells represented ipsilateral-limb targets. Furthermore, these representations were not dependent on preferred direction. Additional experiments provide evidence that the PRR is specifically involved in contralateral-limb movements: firing rates are correlated with contralateral- but not ipsilateral-limb reaction times. The current study therefore provides novel evidence that the PRR operates as a limb-dependent stage that lies further along the sensory-motor transformation for visually guided reaching than previously expected.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)6128-6140
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Neuroscience
Volume28
Issue number24
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 11 2008

Keywords

  • Electrophysiology
  • Monkey
  • Motor planning
  • Parietal reach region
  • Posterior parietal cortex
  • Spatial processing

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