Contrasting neuronal activity in the ipsilateral and contralateral supplementary motor areas in relation to a movement of monkey's distal hindlimb

Abstract

Recordings were made from the supplementary motor areas in both cortical hemispheres of a monkey trained to press a foot pedal. As a result of appropriate limb fixation, the movement was performed with activity predominantly in distal muscles of the right hindlimb. Forty-three percent of contralateral neurons showed movement-related activity. In contrast, only 9% of ipsilateral neurons were active and magnitudes of their activity were smaller.