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Stereotactically-guided Ablation of the Rat Auditory Cortex, and Localization of the Lesion in the Brain
Published on: October 11, 2017
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Lesion network localization of free will.
R Ryan Darby1,2,3, Juho Joutsa2,4,5,6, Matthew J Burke2
1Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232; darby.ryan@gmail.com foxmdphd@gmail.com.
Summary
Disordered free will perception, including volition and agency, is linked to specific brain networks. Lesions disrupting volition connect to the anterior cingulate cortex, while agency disruptions link to the precuneus.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neurology
Background:
- Perception of free will involves volition (desire to act) and agency (responsibility).
- Brain damage can impair these components, but the precise brain regions involved are not fully understood.
- Akinetic mutism and alien limb syndrome are conditions associated with disrupted volition and agency, respectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To localize the brain networks responsible for volition and agency.
- To investigate the neuroanatomical basis of free will perception using lesion studies.
- To differentiate the neural substrates of volition and agency.
Main Methods:
- Studied patients with focal brain lesions causing akinetic mutism (n=28) or alien limb syndrome (n=50).
- Employed lesion network mapping to analyze lesion locations and their network connectivity.
- Compared findings with brain lesions causing physical impairments but without free will disorders, and with brain stimulation and neuroimaging data.
Main Results:
- Lesion locations for akinetic mutism were confined to a network connected to the anterior cingulate cortex.
- Lesion locations for alien limb syndrome were confined to a network connected to the precuneus.
- These network localizations were specific to the syndromes and distinct from lesions causing general physical impairments.
Conclusions:
- Disordered volition and agency, resulting from lesions in different brain areas, map to distinct neural networks.
- The anterior cingulate cortex network is crucial for volition, while the precuneus network is crucial for agency.
- Findings provide insight into the neuroanatomical underpinnings of free will perception and related disorders.
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