Motor Areas of the Cerebral Cortex

In recent years the development of new techniques such as PET scanning has led to fresh interest in the motor areas of the cerebral cortex in humans and animals, although older electrical methods still provide valuable information.

All these methods contribute to the data on the relationship between structure and function discussed in this symposium volume. The topics covered include the historical development of ideas about structure and function, the anatomical connections of motor areas, and physiological studies of cortical areas in conscious primates.

The participants also examine the effects of cortical lesions in humans and animals and discuss clinical and experimental disorders of motor control. The application of these methods, as the chairman concludes, is likely to lead to a better understanding of how the various motor areas of the cerebral cortex interact and cooperate in the control of movement in primates.

This improved understanding should in turn lead to better treatment for Parkinson's disease and other conditions in which cortical lesions produce disorders of voluntary movement.