Parallel movement planning is achieved via an optimal preparatory state in motor cortex
How do patterns of neural activity in the motor cortex contribute to the planning of a movement? A recent theory developed for single movements proposes that the motor cortex acts as a dynamical system whose initial state is optimized during the preparatory phase of the movement. This theory makes i...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Cell reports (Cambridge) 2023-02, Vol.42 (2), p.112136-112136, Article 112136 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | How do patterns of neural activity in the motor cortex contribute to the planning of a movement? A recent theory developed for single movements proposes that the motor cortex acts as a dynamical system whose initial state is optimized during the preparatory phase of the movement. This theory makes important yet untested predictions about preparatory dynamics in more complex behavioral settings. Here, we analyze preparatory activity in non-human primates planning not one but two movements simultaneously. As predicted by the theory, we find that parallel planning is achieved by adjusting preparatory activity within an optimal subspace to an intermediate state reflecting a trade-off between the two movements. The theory quantitatively accounts for the relationship between this intermediate state and fluctuations in the animals’ behavior down at the trial level. These results uncover a simple mechanism for planning multiple movements in parallel and further point to motor planning as a controlled dynamical process.
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•Monkeys plan two grasping movements individually or in parallel•Motor cortex encodes individual grips with different preparatory states•Parallel planning is associated with an intermediate preparatory state•This intermediate state reflects an optimal trade-off between the two grips
Meirhaeghe et al. show that, when preparing two movements in parallel, motor cortical activity reaches an intermediate preparatory state in between the states associated with each movement planned separately. This intermediate state constitutes the optimal initial condition to quickly execute either one of the two movements. |
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ISSN: | 2211-1247 2211-1247 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112136 |