A new field in monkey's frontal cortex: premotor ear-eye field (PEEF)

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Primate Brain Research
• Auditory Processing

Background:

• Area 8B in macaque monkeys is cytoarchitectonically transitional between Brodmann area 9 and area 6.
• Electrophysiological and anatomical data suggest a unique functional role for area 8B.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the functional and anatomical properties of area 8B in macaque monkeys.
• To determine if area 8B can be classified as a specific Premotor Ear-Eye Field (PEEF).

Main Methods:

• Microstimulation of area 8B to observe evoked movements.
• Unit activity recording to identify neuronal responses to auditory stimuli and movements.
• Anatomical tracing to determine connectivity with other brain regions.

Main Results:

• Microstimulation evoked ear and/or eye movements.
• Neurons in area 8B responded to auditory stimuli and were involved in ear/eye movements.
• Visual attention modulated the activity of auditory-related neurons.
• Area 8B showed connections with auditory cortex, superior colliculus, and cerebellum.

Conclusions:

• Area 8B functions as a Premotor Ear-Eye Field (PEEF).
• PEEF is involved in recognizing auditory stimuli and orienting responses.
• PEEF likely plays a key role in auditory spatial attention and orienting sensory organs toward sound sources.