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Context‐related representation of timing processes in monkey motor cortex
Author(s) -
Roux Sébastien,
Coulmance Michèle,
Riehle Alexa
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1460-9568.2003.02792.x
Subject(s) - neuroscience , motor cortex , representation (politics) , context (archaeology) , psychology , premovement neuronal activity , movement (music) , primary motor cortex , cortex (anatomy) , motor planning , process (computing) , computer science , cognitive psychology , biology , paleontology , philosophy , stimulation , politics , political science , law , aesthetics , operating system
Precise timing is essential for motor performance, though the neuronal representation of time is unknown. To explore neuronal correlates of timing processes during movement preparation and execution, we compared the activities of neurons recorded in monkey motor cortex during the performance of two tasks requiring correct time estimation in different contextual situations. Despite the fact that both tasks had many common features (e.g. same movements, same time intervals to estimate), they involved different degrees of spatial and temporal uncertainty. Our findings indicate that time is indeed represented in neuronal activity of the motor cortex, albeit strongly dependent on context and not in an invariant manner as a distinct process per se .