Regional distribution of functions in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the monkey

Abstract

Single-cell responses were obtained from 352 neurons in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Walker's areas 9 and 46) of three monkeys. The neurons were classified functionally according to their responsiveness to visual, auditory and somatosensory stimulation, and to correlation of their activity with spontaneous eye or limb movements. A comparison between the distribution of different functions and known modality-specific anatomical connections to various sectors of this area showed a good correspondence. On average somatosensory and motor neurons were located more ventrally than the remaining ones, and were concentrated to the middle third of the inferior bank of principal sulcus and adjacent inferior convexity, where a number of somatosensory projections overlap. Oculomotor neurons were found caudally in both banks of principal sulcus and in a narrow band on the dorsal convexity, coinciding with the projection fields of areas 7a and 7ip of posterior parietal cortex, superior colliculus, and paramedian pontine tegmentum. Other functions were scatteredly distributed. Visual neurons which preferred moving to stationary stimuli were located more caudally and dorsally than other visual neurons. The present study shows that a parcellation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex proposed on the basis of anatomical connectivity is also functionally evident.