Interactive processing of sensory input and motor output in the human hippocampus

J Cogn Neurosci. 1999 Jul;11(4):424-36. doi: 10.1162/089892999563517.

Abstract

Recent studies of visuomotor integration suggest that the motor system may be intimately involved in the detection of salient features of the sensory scene. The final stages of sensory processing occur in hippocampal structures. We measured human neuromagnetic responses during motor reaction to an auditory cue embedded in high-speed multimodal stimulation. Our results demonstrate that large-scale cognitive networks may recruit additional resources from the hippocampus during sensorimotor integration. Hippocampal activity from 300 msec before to 200 msec after cued movements was enhanced significantly over that observed during self-paced movements. The dominant hippocampal activity appeared equally synchronized to both sensory input and motor output, consistent with timing by an intrinsic mechanism, possibly provided by ongoing theta oscillations

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping*
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Color Perception / physiology*
  • Evoked Potentials
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality
  • Hippocampus / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetoencephalography / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Net / physiology
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*