Intention-related activity in the posterior parietal cortex: a review
L H Snyder1, A P Batista, R A Andersen
1Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Mail Code 216-76, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
Vision Research
|May 2, 2000
Summary
The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) processes sensory information for action planning. Neural activity in PPC areas like LIP and PRR reflects movement intentions, not just attention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Sensory-motor transformations
Background:
- The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is increasingly recognized for its role in processing sensory information to plan actions.
- Specific PPC areas, such as LIP and the parietal reach region (PRR), show neural activity linked to planning specific movements like saccades and reaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence supporting the role of the PPC in action planning.
- To investigate the nature of neural activity in the PPC, distinguishing between intention-related and sensory-related signals.
- To explore the PPC's involvement in changing movement intentions.
Main Methods:
- Review of studies examining neural activity in PPC areas (LIP, PRR) during delayed movement tasks.
- Analysis of neural modulation related to movement planning, intention changes, and attention.
- Consideration of anatomical and physiological evidence.
Main Results:
- Neural activity in LIP and PRR significantly correlates with planning saccades and reaches, respectively.
- Intention-related activity dominates delay periods and is a substantial part of transient responses in movement tasks.
- PPC activity is modulated by changes in movement plans, even without altering attention locus, suggesting a role in intention updating.
- Both intention-related and sensory-related activities are present in the PPC.
Conclusions:
- Different PPC areas likely represent plans for distinct actions.
- The PPC plays a crucial role in sensory-motor transformations, integrating sensory input for action planning.
- It is essential to differentiate intention-related signals from attention-related signals when studying PPC function.
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