Function of caudate neurons during limb movements in awake primates

Abstract

Recordings from single neurons were made in the head of the contralateral caudate nucleus in awake primates during performance of visually and somatically guided hand movements. Populations of cells showed temporal correlation of discharge patterns with visual or somatic disturbances or both. However these discharges occured about or after the onset of the compensating movement triggered by the disturbances. These findings indicate that the observed cells do not participate in the initiation of these compensating movements, and may instead act as part of an internal feedback loop whose function is unrelated to movement onset.