Anticipatory activity of motor cortex neurons in relation to direction of an intended movement. 1976

J Tanji, and E V Evarts

1. Monkeys were trained to 1) hold a handle in a central zone midway between "push" and "pull" while awaiting 2) an instruction telling them how to respond to a subsequent 3) perturbation, which triggered the instructed movement and was followed by 4) a reward if the movement was correct. 2. There were two sorts of instructions: push and pull. When the pull instruction had preceded the perturbation, the monkey responded to the perturbation by pulling, whereas after a push instruction, the monkey responded to the perturbation by pushing. 3. Recordings in pre- and postcentral sensorimotor cortex revealed instruction-induced changes of neuronal activity during the period intervening between the instruction and the perturbation-triggered movement. Effects of the instruction were differential depending on which of the two instructions was given, such differential responses to the instruction being detected in 61% of precentral pyramidal tract neurons (PTNs), 44% of precentral non-PTNs, and 11% of postcentral neurons. 4. Since motor cortex PTN axons end on alpha and gamma motoneurons and on interneurons of the spinal cord, changes of PTN activity with "intention" or "motor set" provide a mechanism for suprasegmental control and presetting of spinal cord reflex excitability specific to the nature of an impending movement.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009044 Motor Cortex Area of the FRONTAL LOBE concerned with primary motor control located in the dorsal PRECENTRAL GYRUS immediately anterior to the central sulcus. It is comprised of three areas: the primary motor cortex located on the anterior paracentral lobule on the medial surface of the brain; the premotor cortex located anterior to the primary motor cortex; and the supplementary motor area located on the midline surface of the hemisphere anterior to the primary motor cortex. Brodmann Area 4,Brodmann Area 6,Brodmann's Area 4,Brodmann's Area 6,Premotor Cortex and Supplementary Motor Cortex,Premotor and Supplementary Motor Cortices,Anterior Central Gyrus,Gyrus Precentralis,Motor Area,Motor Strip,Precentral Gyrus,Precentral Motor Area,Precentral Motor Cortex,Premotor Area,Premotor Cortex,Primary Motor Area,Primary Motor Cortex,Secondary Motor Areas,Secondary Motor Cortex,Somatic Motor Areas,Somatomotor Areas,Supplementary Motor Area,Area 4, Brodmann,Area 4, Brodmann's,Area 6, Brodmann,Area 6, Brodmann's,Area, Motor,Area, Precentral Motor,Area, Premotor,Area, Primary Motor,Area, Secondary Motor,Area, Somatic Motor,Area, Somatomotor,Area, Supplementary Motor,Brodmann's Area 6s,Brodmanns Area 4,Brodmanns Area 6,Central Gyrus, Anterior,Cortex, Motor,Cortex, Precentral Motor,Cortex, Premotor,Cortex, Primary Motor,Cortex, Secondary Motor,Cortices, Secondary Motor,Gyrus, Anterior Central,Gyrus, Precentral,Motor Area, Precentral,Motor Area, Primary,Motor Area, Secondary,Motor Area, Somatic,Motor Areas,Motor Cortex, Precentral,Motor Cortex, Primary,Motor Cortex, Secondary,Motor Strips,Precentral Motor Areas,Precentral Motor Cortices,Premotor Areas,Primary Motor Areas,Primary Motor Cortices,Secondary Motor Area,Secondary Motor Cortices,Somatic Motor Area,Somatomotor Area,Supplementary Motor Areas
D009068 Movement The act, process, or result of passing from one place or position to another. It differs from LOCOMOTION in that locomotion is restricted to the passing of the whole body from one place to another, while movement encompasses both locomotion but also a change of the position of the whole body or any of its parts. Movement may be used with reference to humans, vertebrate and invertebrate animals, and microorganisms. Differentiate also from MOTOR ACTIVITY, movement associated with behavior. Movements
D009132 Muscles Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals. Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D011712 Pyramidal Tracts Fibers that arise from cells within the cerebral cortex, pass through the medullary pyramid, and descend in the spinal cord. Many authorities say the pyramidal tracts include both the corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts. Corticobulbar Tracts,Corticospinal Tracts,Decussation, Pyramidal,Corticobulbar Tract,Corticospinal Tract,Pyramidal Decussation,Pyramidal Tract,Tract, Corticobulbar,Tract, Corticospinal,Tract, Pyramidal,Tracts, Corticobulbar,Tracts, Corticospinal,Tracts, Pyramidal
D003216 Conditioning, Operant Learning situations in which the sequence responses of the subject are instrumental in producing reinforcement. When the correct response occurs, which involves the selection from among a repertoire of responses, the subject is immediately reinforced. Instrumental Learning,Learning, Instrumental,Operant Conditioning,Conditionings, Operant,Instrumental Learnings,Learnings, Instrumental,Operant Conditionings
D004576 Electromyography Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes. Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies
D005071 Evoked Potentials Electrical responses recorded from nerve, muscle, SENSORY RECEPTOR, or area of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM following stimulation. They range from less than a microvolt to several microvolts. The evoked potential can be auditory (EVOKED POTENTIALS, AUDITORY), somatosensory (EVOKED POTENTIALS, SOMATOSENSORY), visual (EVOKED POTENTIALS, VISUAL), or motor (EVOKED POTENTIALS, MOTOR), or other modalities that have been reported. Event Related Potential,Event-Related Potentials,Evoked Potential,N100 Evoked Potential,P50 Evoked Potential,N1 Wave,N100 Evoked Potentials,N2 Wave,N200 Evoked Potentials,N3 Wave,N300 Evoked Potentials,N4 Wave,N400 Evoked Potentials,P2 Wave,P200 Evoked Potentials,P50 Evoked Potentials,P50 Wave,P600 Evoked Potentials,Potentials, Event-Related,Event Related Potentials,Event-Related Potential,Evoked Potential, N100,Evoked Potential, N200,Evoked Potential, N300,Evoked Potential, N400,Evoked Potential, P200,Evoked Potential, P50,Evoked Potential, P600,Evoked Potentials, N100,Evoked Potentials, N200,Evoked Potentials, N300,Evoked Potentials, N400,Evoked Potentials, P200,Evoked Potentials, P50,Evoked Potentials, P600,N1 Waves,N2 Waves,N200 Evoked Potential,N3 Waves,N300 Evoked Potential,N4 Waves,N400 Evoked Potential,P2 Waves,P200 Evoked Potential,P50 Waves,P600 Evoked Potential,Potential, Event Related,Potential, Event-Related,Potential, Evoked,Potentials, Event Related,Potentials, Evoked,Potentials, N400 Evoked,Related Potential, Event,Related Potentials, Event,Wave, N1,Wave, N2,Wave, N3,Wave, N4,Wave, P2,Wave, P50,Waves, N1,Waves, N2,Waves, N3,Waves, N4,Waves, P2,Waves, P50
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000882 Haplorhini A suborder of PRIMATES consisting of six families: CEBIDAE (some New World monkeys), ATELIDAE (some New World monkeys), CERCOPITHECIDAE (Old World monkeys), HYLOBATIDAE (gibbons and siamangs), CALLITRICHINAE (marmosets and tamarins), and HOMINIDAE (humans and great apes). Anthropoidea,Monkeys,Anthropoids,Monkey
D001132 Arm The superior part of the upper extremity between the SHOULDER and the ELBOW. Brachium,Upper Arm,Arm, Upper,Arms,Arms, Upper,Brachiums,Upper Arms

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