Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 13 January 1989:
Vol. 243. no. 4888, pp. 234 - 236
DOI: 10.1126/science.2911737
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Science, Vol 243, Issue 4888, 234-236
Copyright © 1989 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Mental rotation of the neuronal population vector

AP Georgopoulos, JT Lurito, M Petrides, AB Schwartz, and JT Massey

Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.

A rhesus monkey was trained to move its arm in a direction that was perpendicular to and counterclockwise from the direction of a target light that changed in position from trial to trial. Solution of this problem was hypothesized to involve the creation and mental rotation of an imagined movement vector from the direction of the light to the direction of the movement. This hypothesis was tested directly by recording the activity of cells in the motor cortex during performance of the task and computing the neuronal population vector in successive time intervals during the reaction time. The population vector rotated gradually counterclockwise from the direction of the light to the direction of the movement at an average rate of 732 degrees per second. These results provide direct, neural evidence for the mental rotation hypothesis and indicate that the neuronal population vector is a useful tool for "reading out" and identifying cognitive operations of neuronal ensembles.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Subsecond Timing in Primates: Comparison of Interval Production Between Human Subjects and Rhesus Monkeys.
W. Zarco, H. Merchant, L. Prado, and J. C. Mendez (2009)
J Neurophysiol 102, 3191-3202
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Population Vector Analysis of Primate Mediodorsal Thalamic Activity during Oculomotor Delayed-Response Performance.
Y. Watanabe, K. Takeda, and S. Funahashi (2009)
Cereb Cortex 19, 1313-1321
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Motor Imagery After Subcortical Stroke: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.
N. Sharma, L. H. Simmons, P. S. Jones, D. J. Day, T. A. Carpenter, V. M. Pomeroy, E. A. Warburton, and J.-C. Baron (2009)
Stroke 40, 1315-1324
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Probability-Based Prediction of Activity in Multiple Arm Muscles: Implications for Functional Electrical Stimulation.
C. V. Anderson and A. J. Fuglevand (2008)
J Neurophysiol 100, 482-494
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Coordinate Transformation is First Completed Downstream of Primary Motor Cortex.
Y. Yanai, N. Adamit, Z. Israel, R. Harel, and Y. Prut (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 1728-1732
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Computational Model for Redundant Human Three-Dimensional Pointing Movements: Integration of Independent Spatial and Temporal Motor Plans Simplifies Movement Dynamics.
A. Biess, D. G. Liebermann, and T. Flash (2007)
J. Neurosci. 27, 13045-13064
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Comparison of Finger Tracking Versus Simple Movement Training via Telerehabilitation to Alter Hand Function and Cortical Reorganization After Stroke.
J. R. Carey, W. K. Durfee, E. Bhatt, A. Nagpal, S. A. Weinstein, K. M. Anderson, and S. M. Lewis (2007)
Neurorehabil Neural Repair 21, 216-232
   Abstract »    PDF »
Preparatory Activity in Premotor and Motor Cortex Reflects the Speed of the Upcoming Reach.
M. M. Churchland, G. Santhanam, and K. V. Shenoy (2006)
J Neurophysiol 96, 3130-3146
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neural dynamics in monkey parietal reach region reflect context-specific sensorimotor transformations..
A. Gail and R. A. Andersen (2006)
J. Neurosci. 26, 9376-9384
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Primary Motor Area Activation during Precision-Demanding versus Simple Finger Movement.
J. R. Carey, K. R. Greer, T. K. Grunewald, J. L. Steele, J. W. Wiemiller, E. Bhatt, A. Nagpal, O. Lungu, and E. J. Auerbach (2006)
Neurorehabil Neural Repair 20, 361-370
   Abstract »    PDF »
Motor Imagery: A Backdoor to the Motor System After Stroke?.
N. Sharma, V. M. Pomeroy, and J.-C. Baron (2006)
Stroke 37, 1941-1952
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Perceptual Fusion and Stimulus Coincidence in the Cross-Modal Integration of Speech.
L. M. Miller and M. D'Esposito (2005)
J. Neurosci. 25, 5884-5893
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Transformations of Visuospatial Images.
J. M. Zacks and P. Michelon (2005)
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 4, 96-118
   Abstract »    PDF »
Distributed Population Mechanism for the 3-D Oculomotor Reference Frame Transformation.
M. A. Smith and J. D. Crawford (2005)
J Neurophysiol 93, 1742-1761
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Population Vector Analysis of Primate Prefrontal Activity during Spatial Working Memory.
K. Takeda and S. Funahashi (2004)
Cereb Cortex 14, 1328-1339
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Recursive Bayesian Decoding of Motor Cortical Signals by Particle Filtering.
A. E. Brockwell, A. L. Rojas, and R. E. Kass (2004)
J Neurophysiol 91, 1899-1907
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Differential Representation of Perception and Action in the Frontal Cortex.
A. B. Schwartz, D. W. Moran, and G. A. Reina (2004)
Science 303, 380-383
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genetic and Neurochemical Modulation of Prefrontal Cognitive Functions in Children.
A. Diamond, L. Briand, J. Fossella, and L. Gehlbach (2004)
Am J Psychiatry 161, 125-132
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Spatiotemporal Tuning of Motor Cortical Neurons for Hand Position and Velocity.
L. Paninski, M. R. Fellows, N. G. Hatsopoulos, and J. P. Donoghue (2004)
J Neurophysiol 91, 515-532
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Systematic Changes in Motor Cortex Cell Activity With Arm Posture During Directional Isometric Force Generation.
L. E. Sergio and J. F. Kalaska (2003)
J Neurophysiol 89, 212-228
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Single-Unit Activity Related to Bimanual Arm Movements in the Primary and Supplementary Motor Cortices.
O. Donchin, A. Gribova, O. Steinberg, A. R. Mitz, H. Bergman, and E. Vaadia (2002)
J Neurophysiol 88, 3498-3517
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Insights into seeing and grasping: distinguishing the neural correlates of perception and action..
M. A. Lebedev and S. P. Wise (2002)
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 1, 108-129
   Abstract »    PDF »
Effects of Optic Flow in Motor Cortex and Area 7a.
H. Merchant, A. Battaglia-Mayer, and A. P. Georgopoulos (2001)
J Neurophysiol 86, 1937-1954
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Time Course of Determination of Movement Direction in the Reaction Time Task in Humans.
M. Sommer, J. Classen, L. G. Cohen, and M. Hallett (2001)
J Neurophysiol 86, 1195-1201
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
On the Relationship Between Joint Angular Velocity and Motor Cortical Discharge During Reaching.
G. A. Reina, D. W. Moran, and A. B. Schwartz (2001)
J Neurophysiol 85, 2576-2589
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Scientific Approaches to Animal Consciousness.
D. R. Griffin (2000)
Integr. Comp. Biol. 40, 889-892
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
New Views of the Primary Motor Cortex.
M. H. Schieber (2000)
Neuroscientist 6, 380-389
   Abstract »    PDF »
A Comparison of Frontoparietal fMRI Activation During Anti-Saccades and Anti-Pointing.
J. D. Connolly, M. A. Goodale, J. F. X. Desouza, R. S. Menon, and T. Vilis (2000)
J Neurophysiol 84, 1645-1655
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Primary Motor Cortex Affects Mental Rotation.
G. Ganis, J. P. Keenan, S. M. Kosslyn, and A. Pascual-Leone (2000)
Cereb Cortex 10, 175-180
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Limited Functional Grouping of Neurons in the Motor Cortex Hand Area During Individuated Finger Movements: A Cluster Analysis.
A. V. Poliakov and M. H. Schieber (1999)
J Neurophysiol 82, 3488-3505
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Theory of Geometric Constraints on Neural Activity for Natural Three-Dimensional Movement.
K. Zhang and T. J. Sejnowski (1999)
J. Neurosci. 19, 3122-3145
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Oculomotor Tracking in Two Dimensions.
K. C. Engel, J. H. Anderson, and J. F. Soechting (1999)
J Neurophysiol 81, 1597-1602
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Visuomotor Processing as Reflected in the Directional Discharge of Premotor and Primary Motor Cortex Neurons.
M.T.V. Johnson, J. D. Coltz, M. C. Hagen, and T. J. Ebner (1999)
J Neurophysiol 81, 875-894
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Information coding in the cortex by independent or coordinated populations.
R. C. deCharms (1998)
PNAS 95, 15166-15168
   Full Text »    PDF »
Cognitive Channels Computing Action Distance and Direction.
R. B. Bhat and J. N. Sanes (1998)
J. Neurosci. 18, 7566-7580
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mental chronometry using latency-resolved functional MRI.
R. S. Menon, D. C. Luknowsky, and J. S. Gati (1998)
PNAS 95, 10902-10907
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Interpreting Neuronal Population Activity by Reconstruction: Unified Framework With Application to Hippocampal Place Cells.
K. Zhang, I. Ginzburg, B. L. McNaughton, and T. J. Sejnowski (1998)
J Neurophysiol 79, 1017-1044
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Conversion of Sensory Signals into Motor Commands in Primary Motor Cortex.
E. Salinas and R. Romo (1998)
J. Neurosci. 18, 499-511
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Conditional Oculomotor Learning: Population Vectors in the Supplementary Eye Field.
L. L. Chen and S. P. Wise (1997)
J Neurophysiol 78, 1166-1169
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dynamics of Single Neuron Activity in Monkey Primary Motor Cortex Related to Sensorimotor Transformation.
J. Zhang, A. Riehle, J. Requin, and S. Kornblum (1997)
J. Neurosci. 17, 2227-2246
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neural Correlates of a Spatial Sensory-To-Motor Transformation in Primary Motor Cortex.
L. Shen and G. E. Alexander (1997)
J Neurophysiol 77, 1171-1194
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Preferential Representation of Instructed Target Location Versus Limb Trajectory in Dorsal Premotor Area.
L. Shen and G. E. Alexander (1997)
J Neurophysiol 77, 1195-1212
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
.
(1996)
J. Neurosci. 16, 7688-7698
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evolution of Directional Preferences in the Supplementary Eye Field during Acquisition of Conditional Oculomotor Associations.
L. L. Chen and S. P. Wise (1996)
J. Neurosci. 16, 3067-3081
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
ENHANCED PERSPECTIVE: Ensemble Activity and Behavior--What's the Code?.
S. A. Deadwyler and R. E. Hampson (1995)
Science 270, 1316
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Motor cortical activity in a context-recall task.
G Pellizzer, P Sargent, and A. Georgopoulos (1995)
Science 269, 702-705
   Abstract »    PDF »
Direct cortical representation of drawing.
A. Schwartz (1994)
Science 265, 540-542
   Abstract »    PDF »
Dynamics of the hippocampal ensemble code for space.
M. Wilson and B. McNaughton (1993)
Science 261, 1055-1058
   Abstract »    PDF »
Cognitive neurophysiology of the motor cortex.
A. Georgopoulos, M Taira, and A Lukashin (1993)
Science 260, 47-52
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Motor Cortex and the Coding of Force.
A. P. Georgopoulos, J. Ashe, N. Smyrnis, and M. Taira (1992)
Science 256, 1692-1695
   Abstract »    PDF »
Sparse population coding of faces in the inferotemporal cortex.
M. Young and S Yamane (1992)
Science 256, 1327-1331
   Abstract »    PDF »
Cerebral cortical mechanisms of reaching movements.
J. Kalaska and D. Crammond (1992)
Science 255, 1517-1523
   Abstract »    PDF »
Neural Coding of the Direction of Reaching and a Comparison with Saccadic Eye Movements.
A.P. Georgopoulos (1990)
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 55, 849-859
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)