Question

Activity in three different cortical regions precede the production of a volitional act: These are associated with goal planning, motor program selection and sequencing leading to activation of specific neurons in the corticospinal tract. Name these 3 cortical regions and place them in the temporal order of their position in the neuronal information processing sequence leading to the execution of a behaviour.

Answer 1

Firstly, The premotor cortex is responsible for the preparation for movement, the sensory guidance of movement, the spatial guidance of reaching, or the direct control of some movements with an emphasis on control of proximal and trunk muscles of the body. It's associated with goal planning

Secondly, The primary motor cortex is the main contributor to generating neural impulses that pass down to the spinal cord and control the execution of movement. However, some of the other motor areas in the brain also play a role in this function. Thus it helps in motor program selection

Thirdly, The supplementary motor area (or SMA), has many proposed functions including the internally generated planning of movement, the planning of sequences of movement, and the coordination of the two sides of the body such as in bi-manual coordination.