Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
Published on: August 1, 2018
The role of the human ventral premotor cortex in counting successive stimuli
Kenji Kansaku1, Benjamin Carver, Ari Johnson
1Human Motor Control Section, Medical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1428, USA. kansakuk@rehab.go.jp
Abstract:
Adult humans have the ability to count large numbers of successive stimuli exactly. What brain areas underlie this uniquely human process? To identify the candidate brain areas, we first used functional magnetic resonance imaging, and found that the upper part of the left ventral premotor cortex was preferentially activated during counting of successive sensory stimuli presented 10-22 times, while the area was not activated during small number counting up to 4. We then used transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess the necessity of this area, and found that stimulation of this area preferentially disrupted subjects' exact large number enumeration. Stimulation to the area affected neither subjects' number word perception nor their ability to perform a non-numerical sequential letter task. While further investigation is necessary to determine the precise role of the left ventral premotor cortex, the results suggest that the area is indispensably involved for large number counting of successive stimuli, at least for the types of tasks in this study.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Neural Circuits
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Somatosensation

