Interchangeable Role of Motor Cortex and Reafference for the Stable Execution of an Orofacial Action.

ABSTRACT: Animals interact with their environment through mechanically active, mobile sensors. The efficient use of these sensory organs implies the ability to track their position; otherwise, perceptual stability or prehension would be profoundly impeded. The nervous system may keep track of the position of a sensorimotor organ via two complementary feedback mechanisms-peripheral reafference (external, sensory feedback) and efference copy (internal feedback). Yet, the potential contributions of these mechanisms remain largely unexplored. By training male rats to place one of their vibrissae within a predetermined angular range without contact, a task that depends on knowledge of vibrissa position relative to their face, we found that peripheral reafference is not required. The presence of motor cor

SUBMITTER: Elbaz MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10376937 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature