The motor cortex comprises three different areas of the frontal lobe, immediately anterior to the central sulcus. Select from the boxes in the center to see larger views. The primary motor cortex is located immediately anterior to the central sulcus. Motor cortex areas (lateral, dorsal, and medial views). These areas of the cerebral cortex plan voluntary actions, coordinate sequences of movements, make decisions about proper behavioral strategies and choices, evaluate the appropriateness of a particular action given the current behavioral or environmental context, and relay commands to the appropriate sets of lower motor neurons to execute the desired actions.ģ.2 Motor Cortex Comprises the Primary Motor Cortex, Premotor Cortex, and Supplementary Motor Area

Voluntary movements require the participation of the third and fourth levels of the hierarchy: the motor cortex and the association cortex. The types of movements controlled by these circuits are not initiated consciously, however. Individual alpha motor neurons control the force exerted by a particular muscle, and spinal circuits can control sophisticated and complex behaviors such as walking and reflex actions.

The previous chapters discussed the lower levels of the motor hierarchy (the spinal cord and brainstem), which are involved in the low-level, “nuts and bolts” processing that controls the activity of individual muscles.

Rh tertiary auditory cortex function