Abstract

The predominant role of the primary motor cortex (M1) in motor execution is well acknowledged. However, additional roles of M1 are getting evident in humans owing to advances in noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques. This review collates such studies in humans and proposes that M1 also plays a key role in higher cognitive processes. The review commences with the studies that have investigated the nature of connectivity of M1 with other cortical regions in light of studies based on NIBS. The review then moves on to discuss the studies that have demonstrated the role of M1 in higher cognitive processes such as attention, motor learning, motor consolidation, movement inhibition, somatomotor response, and movement imagery. Overall, the purpose of the review is to highlight the additional role of M1 in motor cognition besides motor control, which remains unexplored.

摘要

众所周知，初级运动皮层（M1）在运动执行中的主要作用。然而，由于无创性脑刺激（NIBS）技术的进步，M1的其他作用在人类中变得越来越明显。这篇评论整理了对人类的此类研究，并提出M1在更高的认知过程中也起着关键作用。回顾始于根据基于NIBS的研究调查M1与其他皮质区域的连通性的研究。这篇评论随后继续讨论那些已经证明了M1在更高的认知过程中的作用的研究，这些过程包括注意力，运动学习，运动巩固，运动抑制，躯体运动反应和运动图像。总体而言，本次审查的目的是强调除运动控制外，M1在运动认知中的其他作用，