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Coding of peripersonal space in inferior premotor cortex (area F4).
Abstract
1. We studied the functional properties of neurons in the caudal part of inferior area 6 (area F4) in awake monkeys. In agreement with previous reports, we found that the large majority (87%) of neurons responded to sensory stimuli. The responsive neurons fell into three categories: somatosensory neurons (30%); visual neurons (14%); and bimodal, visual and somatosensory neurons (56%). Both somatosensory and bimodal neurons typically responded to light touch of the skin. Their RFs were located on the face, neck, trunk, and arms. Approaching objects were the most effective visual stimuli. Visual RFs were mostly located in the space near the monkey (peripersonal space). Typically they extended in the space adjacent to the tactile RFs. 2. The coordinate system in which visual RFs were coded was studied in 110 neurons. In 94 neurons the RF location was independent of eye position, remaining in the same position in the peripersonal space regardless of eye deviation. The RF location with respect to the monkey was not modified by changing monkey position in the recording room. In 10 neurons the RF's location followed the eye movements, remaining in the same retinal position (retinocentric RFs). For the remaining six neurons the RF organization was not clear. We will refer to F4 neurons with RF independent of eye position as somatocentered neurons. 3. In most somatocentered neurons (43 of 60 neurons) the background level of activity and the response to visual stimuli were not modified by changes in eye position, whereas they were modulated in the remaining 17. It is important to note that eye deviations were constantly accompanied by a synergic increase of the activity of the ipsilateral neck muscles. It is not clear, therefore, whether the modulation of neuron discharge depended on eye position or was a consequence of changes in neck muscle activity. 4. The effect of stimulus velocity (20-80 cm/s) on neuron response intensity and RF extent in depth was studied in 34 somatocentered neurons. The results showed that in most neurons the increase of stimulus velocity produced an expansion in depth of the RF. 5. We conclude that space is coded differently in areas that control somatic and eye movements. We suggest that space coding in different cortical areas depends on the computational necessity of the effectors they control.
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“It is possible that bimodal and multimodal cells in premotor and posterior parietal areas could play important roles by mediating critical multisensory integration [7], [41], [42], [43], [47].”
From If I were you: Perceptual illusion of body swapping (2008) · cites this paper as [41]
In the citing paper
“they contain many neurons that integrate visual, tactile and proprioceptive information in head and body-part centred reference frames [7], [41], [42], [43], [47].”
From If I were you: Perceptual illusion of body swapping (2008) · cites this paper as [41]
In the citing paper
“These areas are part of a system that controls actions”
From If I were you: Perceptual illusion of body swapping (2008) · cites this paper as [41]
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Appendix: An Interview with Leonardo Fogassi
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Fogassi, L. (2010)
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Self-citationSurdhar, I. S. (2012) · ERA: Education and Research Archive (University of Alberta) · doi:10.7939/r3js48
“Peripersonal space neurons have been noted for a variety of body parts including the head, arm, shoulder and torso (Fogassi et al., 1996; see figures 1.3 and 1.4).”
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Seraglia, B. (2012) · Padua Research Archive (University of Padova)
Chapman, R. M. (2013) · doi:10.17077/etd.03wc9uax
“Interestingly, the activity of the cells contained within this area respond to those peripersonal sensory changes accordingly (Fogassi et al., 1996).”
BackgroundActivation of Broca's area by syntactic processing under conditions of concurrent articulation
Caplan, D., Alpert, N., Waters, G., & Olivieri, A. (2000) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0193(200002)9:2
Metadata
- Authors
- Fogassi, L., Gallese, V., Fadiga, L., Luppino, G., Matelli, M., & Rizzolatti, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Parma (IT)
- Istituto di Fisiologia Umana, Universita di Parma, Italy.
- Venue
- Journal of Neurophysiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 1996-07-01
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 141-157
- ISSN
- 0022-3077 (ISSN-L)
- 1522-1598
- OpenAlex
- W1785556983
- Cited by
- 688
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 24
- FWCI
- 29.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Neurophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Ferrara (University of Ferrara) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Keywords
- peripersonal space, eye position, visual receptive fields, bimodal neurons, stimulus velocity, neck muscle activity, spatial coding, monkeys
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Attention, Cues, Depth Perception, Environment, Fixation, Ocular, Macaca nemestrina, Motion Perception, Neurons, Photic Stimulation, Retina, Robotics, Somatosensory Cortex, Visual Pathways
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