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Reaches to sounds encoded in an eye-centered reference frame.
1Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.
Neuron
|October 31, 2000
Summary
Neurons in the parietal reach region (PRR) encode movement plans in an eye-centered frame, even for auditory targets. This eye-centered coding is consistent across different sensory inputs and actions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Motor Control
Background:
- The lateral intraparietal area (LIP) and parietal reach region (PRR) are implicated in sensorimotor transformations.
- A hypothesis proposes that LIP and PRR neurons use a common eye-centered reference frame for movement plans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how parietal reach region (PRR) neurons encode reach plans originating from auditory stimuli.
- To determine if PRR neurons maintain an eye-centered reference frame for auditory-guided reaches.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings from PRR neurons in non-human primates.
- Analysis of neuronal activity during reach tasks with auditory targets.
- Population-level analysis of neural responses in relation to eye and hand position.
Main Results:
- PRR neuronal activity was influenced by both eye and initial hand position.
- Population analyses revealed a stronger effect of eye position compared to hand position.
- A significant portion of PRR neurons demonstrated eye-centered encoding of reaches to auditory stimuli.
Conclusions:
- PRR neurons encode reach plans in an eye-centered reference frame, even when the sensory input is auditory.
- These findings support and extend the hypothesis of a common eye-centered representation for movement plans in LIP and PRR neurons, irrespective of sensory modality or action type.