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Shared cortical anatomy for motor awareness and motor control
A Berti1, G Bottini, M Gandola
1Psychology Department and Center for Cognitive Science, University of Turin, Via Po 14, 10123 Turin, Italy. berti@psych.unito.it
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|July 16, 2005
Summary
Patients with right-brain damage denying paralysis had lesions in motor and sensory areas. This suggests motor awareness relies on the same brain networks controlling movement.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neurology
Background:
- Effective behavior monitoring requires continuous updating of motor act effectiveness.
- Awareness of one's own movements is crucial for this monitoring process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anatomical basis of motor impairment denial in right-brain-damaged hemiplegic patients.
- To understand the neural correlates of self-monitoring of motor acts.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of lesion distribution in right-brain-damaged hemiplegic patients exhibiting denial of motor deficits.
- Correlation of denial with specific brain areas, including premotor and somatosensory cortices.
Main Results:
- Denial of motor impairment was significantly associated with lesions in specific brain regions.
- Affected areas included Brodmann's premotor areas 6 and 44, primary motor cortex (area 4), and the somatosensory cortex.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that the neural systems responsible for monitoring motor acts are integrated within the same cortical networks that execute those motor acts.
- This implies a shared neural substrate for motor control and self-awareness of movement.
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