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Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Assessing Corticospinal Excitability During Goal-Directed Reaching Behavior
Published on: December 2, 2022
Activity in the human superior colliculus associated with reaching for tactile targets
Nikhil G Prabhu1, Marc Himmelbach2
1Division of Neuropsychology, Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; International Max Planck Research School in Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Abstract:
The superior colliculus (SC) plays a major role in orienting movements of eyes and the head and in the allocation of attention. Functions of the SC have been mostly investigated in animal models, including non-human primates. Differences in the SC's anatomy and function between different species question extrapolations of these studies to humans without further validation. Few electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies in animal models and humans have reported a role of the SC in visually guided reaching movements. Using BOLD fMRI imaging, we sought to decipher if the SC is also active during reaching movements guided by tactile stimulation. Participants executed reaching movements to visual and tactile target positions. When contrasted against visual and tactile stimulation without reaching, we found increased SC activity with reaching not only for visual but also for tactile targets. We conclude that the SC's involvement in reaching does not rely on visual inputs. It is also independent from a specific sensory modality. Our results indicate a general involvement of the human SC in upper limb reaching movements.
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