Inhibition of protein synthesis in M1 of monkeys disrupts performance of sequential movements guided by memory

The production of action sequences is a fundamental aspect of motor skills. To examine whether primary motor cortex (M1) is involved in maintenance of sequential movements, we trained two monkeys (Cebus apella) to perform two sequential reaching tasks. In one task, sequential movements were instructed by visual cues, whereas in the other task, movements were generated from memory after extended practice. After the monkey became proficient with performing the tasks, we injected an inhibitor of protein synthesis, anisomycin, into M1 to disrupt information storage in this area. Injection of anisomycin in M1 had a marked effect on the performance of sequential movements that were guided by memory. In contrast, the anisomycin injection did not have a significant effect on the performance of movements guided by vision. These results suggest that M1 of non-human primates is involved in the maintenance of skilled sequential movements.