Voluntary timing and brain function: an information processing approach.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Motor Control

Background:

• Human voluntary timing is crucial for motor control and cognitive functions.
• Understanding the neural basis of timing is complex, involving multiple brain regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of brain mechanisms underlying human voluntary timing.
• To integrate theoretical accounts with neurobiological evidence.

Main Methods:

• Review of theoretical models of timing (isochronous tapping, rhythms, bimanual responding).
• Analysis of evidence from neurological motor disorders (lesion studies).
• Examination of brain activation studies (e.g., fMRI, PET).

Main Results:

• Identifies key cortical and subcortical brain structures involved in timing.
• Distinguishes between higher-level temporal parameter setting/memory and lower-level motor implementation.
• Evidence from patient studies highlights the role of specific brain areas in timing deficits.

Conclusions:

• Voluntary timing relies on a distributed network of brain structures.
• Both high-level cognitive and low-level motor processes contribute to timing control.
• Further research integrating computational models and neuroimaging is needed.