Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
07:52
In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
Published on: November 22, 2021
Ipsilateral directional encoding of joystick movements in human cortex
Mohit Sharma1, Charles Gaona, Jarod Roland
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Summary
Brain Computer Interfaces can use unique signals from same-sided limb movements. This study found directional information in ipsilateral cortex, suggesting potential for enhanced Brain Computer Interface operation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) traditionally use signals from the primary motor cortex controlling the opposite limb.
- Recent research indicates unique cortical physiology associated with same-sided (ipsilateral) motor movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if complex motor movements can be decoded using ipsilateral cortical signals.
- To explore the potential of ipsilateral signals for advancing BCI technology.
Main Methods:
- Invasive electrophysiological recordings from three human subjects using subdural grid arrays.
- Subjects performed a center-out joystick task using the hand ipsilateral to the recording array.
Main Results:
- Directional tuning was identified within the ipsilateral cortex.
- This directional information was encoded in specific anatomical populations and spectral distributions.
Conclusions:
- Ipsilateral cortical signals contain discernible information about complex motor movements.
- These findings suggest that ipsilateral signals could offer supplementary data for future Brain Computer Interface applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
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.
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.
01:05Cerebral Hemispheres
The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
01:23Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
01:33Somatosensation
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
01:28Lateralization
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
01:28Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...