Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 6, 2025
12:09
Stimulating the Lip Motor Cortex with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Published on: June 14, 2014
19.3K
Auditory decisions in the supplementary motor area
Isaac Morán1, Javier Perez-Orive2, Jonathan Melchor1
1Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Cell Physiology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
Progress in Neurobiology
|May 6, 2021
Summary
The supplementary motor area (SMA) in monkeys helps decide actions based on sounds. This brain region integrates auditory information to guide behavior, transitioning from sound to movement processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Perception
- Decision Making
Background:
- Sound recognition is crucial for behavior across species.
- The brain's mechanism for auditory-driven decision-making remains unclear.
- The supplementary motor area (SMA) links sensory input to motor output.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the supplementary motor area's (SMA) role in auditory-driven decision-making.
- Determine if the SMA processes sound categorization for behavioral selection.
- Explore neural computations within the SMA during sound discrimination tasks.
Main Methods:
- Trained two rhesus monkeys to distinguish between target and non-target sound categories.
- Recorded single and population neuronal activity in the SMA.
- Analyzed neural representations during auditory and movement epochs.
Main Results:
- The SMA exhibits decision-related computations transitioning from auditory to motor representations.
- Neural populations in the SMA are organized orthogonally during auditory and movement phases.
- Evidence suggests the SMA performs distinct computations in different task stages.
Conclusions:
- The SMA integrates acoustic information to form categorical signals.
- These categorical signals are crucial for driving behavior based on sound.
- The SMA plays a key role in auditory perception and sensorimotor decision-making.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
5.5K
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....
5.5K
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
7.4K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
7.4K
01:15Auditory Pathway
6.2K
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
6.2K
01:24Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
1.4K
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...
1.4K
01:31Hearing
54.8K
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
54.8K
01:17Auditory Perception
729
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the...
729