Motor and cognitive functions of the ventral premotor cortex

doi:10.1016/S0959-4388(02)00308-2

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

Volume 12, Issue 2, 1 April 2002, Pages 149-154

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-4388(02)00308-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

Recent data show that the ventral premotor cortex in both humans and monkeys has motor and cognitive functions. The cognitive functions include space perception, action understanding and imitation. The data also show a clear functional homology between monkey area F5 and human area 44. Preliminary evidence suggests that the ventral part of the lateral premotor cortex in humans may correspond to monkey area F4. A tentative map of the human lateral premotor areas founded on the reviewed evidence is presented.

Introduction

The premotor cortex of the monkey is typically subdivided into two large sectors: the ventral (vPM) and the dorsal (dPM) premotor cortex. In turn, each of these sectors is formed by two areas, one located rostrally and the other caudally (Fig. 1a). No distinction between dorsal and ventral premotor cortex has classically been made in humans, the cortex lying on the cortical lateral surface being dubbed lateral area 6. A distinction, however, between rostral and caudal premotor sectors is apparent in humans. The dorsal part of lateral area 6 consists of two areas: 6aα and 6aβ [1]. They are indicated in light pink and blue, respectively, in Fig. 1b. Two areas similarly form the ventral sector of lateral area 6: 6aα and area 44. They are indicated in red and dark pink, respectively, in Fig. 1b. The homology between area 44 in humans and the rostral part of vPM (or F5) in monkeys was noted by Von Bonin and Bailey [2] and recently confirmed by Petrides and Pandya [3].

Here, we review recent monkey and human studies that address the functional role of ventral sectors of premotor cortex (area 44 included) in action organization, motor imagery, and action understanding. Studies on language are not reviewed.

Section snippets

Caudal ventral premotor cortex in monkeys: F4

Area F4 is the frontal node of a cortical circuit that includes the ventral intraparietal area (VIP), the intraparietal sector of area PE (PEip), and the secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) [4•]. This circuit transforms specific positions in the space around the monkey (peripersonal space) into arm, neck, and face/mouth movements. This circuit is also involved in space perception [5].

F4 neurons discharge according to specific body part movements. In addition, most of these neurons respond to

Rostral ventral premotor cortex in monkeys and humans

Area F5 forms the rostral part of the monkey vPM. It consists of two main sectors: one, F5c, located on the dorsal convexity, the other, F5ab, on the posterior bank of the inferior arcuate sulcus. Both sectors receive afferents from SII and area PF of the parietal lobe. In addition, F5ab is the selective target of the anterior intraparietal area (AIP). Area F5 contains representations of hand and mouth movements. The two representations overlap to a considerable extent 4•., 5..

Conclusions

The data reviewed here indicate that the vPM has both motor and cognitive functions. The motor functions transform the intrinsic properties of objects into hand actions and spatial locations into head and arm actions. The cognitive functions include space perception, action understanding and imitation.

There is also convincing evidence of a functional homology between monkey areas F5 and human area 44. Fewer data are available to establish the location of the possible human homologue of area F4.

References and recommended reading

Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:

• of special interest
•• of outstanding interest

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View full text

ReviewMotor and cognitive functions of the ventral premotor cortex

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Caudal ventral premotor cortex in monkeys: F4

Rostral ventral premotor cortex in monkeys and humans

Conclusions

References and recommended reading

Neuron

Behav Brain Res

Neurosci Res

Neuropsychology

Neuron

Neuropsychology

Cogn Brain Res

Curr Opin Neurobiol

Neuroimage

Cogn Brain Res

Curr Opin Neurobiol

The motor cortex in man in the light of Hughlings Jackson's doctrine

Brain

Comparative architectonic analysis of the human and the macaque frontal cortex

Spatial neglect: neurophysiological bases, cortical circuits, and theories

Functional organization of inferior area 6 in the macaque monkey. I. Somatotopy and the control of proximal movements

Exp Brain Res

Multiple pathways for processing visual space

A neuronal representation of the location of nearby sounds

Nature

Coding of peripersonal space in inferior premotor cortex (area F4)

J Neurophysiol

Direction of action is represented in the ventral premotor cortex

Nat Neurosci

Muscle and movement representations in the primary motor cortex

Science

Deficits in attention and movement following the removal of postarcuate (area 6) and prearcuate (area 8) cortex in macaque monkeys

Brain

Left neglect for near but not far space in man

Nature

When far becomes near: re-mapping of space by tool use

J Cogn Neurosci

Dynamic size-change of hand peripersonal space following tool use

Neuroreport

Review
Motor and cognitive functions of the ventral premotor cortex