Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

An In Vitro Preparation for Eliciting and Recording Feeding Motor Programs with Physiological Movements in Aplysia californica
Published on: December 5, 2012
A cortical circuit for orchestrating oromanual food manipulation
Xu An1, Yi Li1, Katherine Matho2
1Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
Abstract:
The seamless coordination of hand and mouth during feeding is a sophisticated motor skill characteristic of rodents and primates. While spinal and brainstem circuits mediate elemental forelimb and orofacial actions, whether dedicated neocortical circuits assemble these actions into ethological feeding movements remains unclear. Through systematic optogenetic screening, we identify the rostral forelimb-orofacial area (RFO), where activation of either pyramidal tract (PTFezf2) or intratelencephalic (ITPlxnD1) neurons elicits coordinated forelimb and orofacial movements resembling natural eating. RFO connects reciprocally with forelimb and orofacial sensorimotor cortices: while PTsFezf2 project to subcortical motor centers driving effector movements, ITsPlxnD1 target cortical areas and ventrolateral striatum mediating oromanual coordination. During free-moving eating behaviors, activities of both PTsFezf2 and ITsPlxnD1 are correlated with oromanual manipulation, yet silencing reveals distinct functions: PTsFezf2 for dexterous hand-mouth movements and ITsPlxnD1 for their temporal coordination. These findings define a cell-type-specific motor cortical circuit that orchestrates the multi-effector coordination underlying natural feeding.
Related Concept Videos
Motor and Sensory Areas of the 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....
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
Brainstem
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...
Direct Motor Pathways
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and...
Association Areas of the Cortex
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,...
Muscles for Facial Expressions

