Neuronal Activity in Area 5

Abstract

The function of neurones in area 5 of monkeys is related to the somatic sense and somatomotor behaviour. The somatosensory activity observed here is one degree more complex than that observed in posterior SI and described in Chapters III.B and III.C. In area 5 the sensory properties of neurones relate mainly to joint positions. The neurones activated from the skin are directionally selective to the movement on the skin or have other complex properties. All major studies published on area 5 neurones of monkeys (Duffy and Burchfïel 1971, Sakata et al. 1973, Mount castle et al. 1975, Mackay et al. 1978) agree that neurones in area 5 are at a higher level in the chain of neural processing than those observed in SI. Duffy and Burchfiel (1971) and Sakata et al. (1973) emphasized the hierarchical nature of the sensory projections of these neurones, and Mountcastle et al. (1975) described their motor properties which they related to a “command function”.