Article abstract
Nature Neuroscience 11, 1446 - 1453 (2008)
Published online: 9 November 2008 | doi:10.1038/nn.2221
Sensory-motor mechanisms in human parietal cortex underlie arbitrary visual decisions
Annalisa Tosoni1,2, Gaspare Galati2,3,4, Gian Luca Romani1,2 & Maurizio Corbetta1,2,5
Abstract
The neural mechanism underlying simple perceptual decision-making in monkeys has been recently conceptualized as an integrative process in which sensory evidence supporting different response options accumulates gradually over time. For example, intraparietal neurons accumulate motion information in favor of a specific oculomotor choice over time. It is unclear, however, whether this mechanism generalizes to more complex decisions that are based on arbitrary stimulus-response associations. In a task requiring arbitrary association of visual stimuli (faces or places) with different actions (eye or hand-pointing movements), we found that activity of effector-specific regions in human posterior parietal cortex reflected the 'strength' of the sensory evidence in favor of the preferred response. These regions did not respond to sensory stimuli per se but integrated sensory evidence toward the decision outcome. We conclude that even arbitrary decisions can be mediated by sensory-motor mechanisms that are completely triggered by contextual stimulus-response associations.
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Bioimaging, Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio Foundation, Via dei Vestini 31, Chieti 66013, Italy.
- ITAB, Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, G. d'Annunzio Foundation, Via dei Vestini 31, Chieti 66013, Italy.
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University, Via dei Marsi 78, Roma 00185, Italy.
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, Roma 00179, Italy.
- Departments of Neurology, Radiology, Anatomy & Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4525 Scott Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Correspondence to: Annalisa Tosoni1,2 e-mail: tosonia@npg.wustl.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Stabilizing the visual worldNature Neuroscience News and Views (01 Dec 2006)
The cortical basis of motor planning: does it take two to tango?Nature Neuroscience News and Views (01 Dec 2002)
See all 5 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Identification of IGFBP-6 as an effector of the tumor suppressor activity of SEMA3BOncogene Original Article
Hyperglycemia Enhances DNA Fragmentation After Transient Cerebral IschemiaJournal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism Original Article
See all 66 matches for Research
