Strategy-Dependent Encoding of Planned Arm Movements in the Dorsal Premotor Cortex

Abstract

Coding Complex Movements The dorsal premotor cortex is a critical area for planning reaching movements. Pearce and Moran (p. 984 , published online 19 July) trained two macaques to reach around randomly placed objects in a virtual reality task while simultaneously recording neuronal activity in the premotor cortex. Neurons in the premotor cortex coded for the direction of the hand movement and at the same time also coded other variables, including the position of the hand and the final location of the target. Population vector analyses were able to decode multiple kinematic variables from the neural activity. In one monkey, the population vector was first directed to the target but when the obstacle appeared the population vector rotated. However, the other monkey waited until the obstacle appeared. The differences in the neural planning between these two monkeys suggest different optimization strategies.