Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Manual Dexterity in Non-Human Primates
Published on: November 11, 2011
The mental representation of hand movements after parietal cortex damage
A Sirigu1, J R Duhamel, L Cohen
1INSERM U-289, 47 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.
Abstract:
Recent neuroimagery findings showed that the patterns of cerebral activation during the mental rehearsal of a motor act are similar to those produced by its actual execution. This concurs with the notion that part of the distributed neural activity taking place during movement involves internal simulations, but it is not yet clear what specific contribution the different brain areas involved bring to this process. Here, patients with lesions restricted to the parietal cortex were found to be impaired selectively at predicting, through mental imagery, the time necessary to perform differentiated finger movements and visually guided pointing gestures, in comparison to normal individuals and to a patient with damage to the primary motor area. These results suggest that the parietal cortex is important for the ability to generate mental movement representations.
More Related Videos
08:01Compensatory Limb Use and Behavioral Assessment of Motor Skill Learning Following Sensorimotor Cortex Injury in a Mouse Model of Ischemic Stroke
Published on: July 10, 2014
09:42Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface in Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Dysfunction After Stroke
Published on: September 1, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Somatosensation
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.
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,...
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory