Learn about the premotor cortex. View a diagram of the premotor area, study the structure of the supplementary motor cortex, and identify premotor cortex functions.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Premotor Cortex | Overview, Function & Location
Table of Contents
- What Is the Premotor Cortex?
- Where Is the Premotor Area?
- Structure of the Supplementary Motor Cortex
- Premotor Cortex Function
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Which hemisphere is premotor cortex in?
The premotor cortex represents one of the three regions of the motor cortex. The premotor cortex stretches from the left hemisphere to the right hemisphere of the brain and is located just anterior to the primary motor cortex.
What is the function of the premotor cortex?
The premotor cortex works in conjunction with the primary motor cortex and the supplemental motor area to help control voluntary movement in humans. The premotor cortex specifically utilizes external cues to help determine the specific muscles needed for an action to take place.
How does the premotor cortex communicate with the primary motor cortex?
The premotor cortex is connected to the primary motor cortex and the spinal cord via axons. Axons help to carry signals, or impulses, between nerve cells.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Premotor Cortex?
- Where Is the Premotor Area?
- Structure of the Supplementary Motor Cortex
- Premotor Cortex Function
- Lesson Summary
The human brain is an extremely complex organ associated with the central nervous system, which controls all of the major functions in the body. The brain is divided into different lobes that are responsible for distinct functions, such as vision, hearing, memory, behavior, and emotion. In addition to these lobes, the brain is also arranged into layers, including the cerebral cortex, or the outermost layer which consists of a dense network of nerve cells. The cortex also contains several areas devoted to different functions.
One important region of the cerebral cortex is the motor cortex. The motor cortex is responsible for the control of movement in the human body. Whenever an individual walks, runs, dances, or jumps, the motor cortex provides the muscle control needed for these actions to occur. The motor cortex consists of three regions: the primary motor cortex, the premotor cortex, and the supplementary motor area. All three components of the motor cortex form a saddle over the middle portion of the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
The premotor cortex works in conjunction with the primary motor cortex and the supplementary motor area in order to coordinate the complex movements of the human body. In this lesson, the premotor cortex will be explored as a component of the larger motor cortex, in addition to its integration with the primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area.
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As mentioned earlier, the brain is divided into four sections - the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. The front half of the brain is distinguished from the rear half of the brain by the central sulcus, a groove that serves as a border between the frontal and parietal lobes. The motor cortex is located just in front of the central sulcus. Extending from the border between the frontal and temporal lobes on each side of the brain, the motor cortex runs like a saddle over the middle section of the cerebral cortex.
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The primary motor cortex is located just anterior to the central sulcus. The premotor cortex is then found just anterior to the primary motor cortex and is separated in the center by a small region known as the supplemental motor area. The primary motor cortex possesses a fascinating structure, in that different regions of the primary motor cortex are mapped to different parts of the body. Therefore, when different parts of the primary motor cortex are electrically stimulated, the parts of the body associated with each sub region will move.
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The coordination of these movements is controlled by a variety of neural pathways descending from the primary motor cortex, traveling through the brain stem, and entering into the spinal cord. From there, different spinal nerves emerge from specific vertebra to innervate the various muscles of the body.
Hence, the motor cortex is involved in the overall control of voluntary motor movements, or movements under the conscious control of the individual. By contrast, the premotor cortex helps to decide upon the specific sequence of neuronal stimulation and muscles needed to carry out the movement based on visual stimuli. Then the supplemental motor area helps to program the specific order of movements needed to complete an action based on memory.
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Structure of the Premotor Cortex
The premotor cortex is connected to the primary motor cortex and the spinal cord via axons. Axons represent parts of neurons that carry electrical impulses between nerve cells. When signals are sent from the premotor cortex to the spinal nerves, these impulses first pass through the motor thalamus, a region of the brain that helps to relay signals from the motor cortex to the basal ganglia. Prior to entering the basal ganglia, these impulses then travel through the striatum, the main neural input region for the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that works with the motor cortex to coordinate voluntary movement in humans.
In earlier models of the motor cortex, the premotor cortex was divided into two areas, the lateral and medial sections. The lateral area is now referred to as the premotor cortex itself, while the medial region is known as the supplemental motor cortex (or supplemental motor area). The premotor cortex is now believed to function as the processing center for voluntary movements, using a combination of external cues such as vision and balance to decide upon the specific muscles to activate in order for an action to be carried out.
As mentioned, the supplementary motor cortex was previously referred to as the medial area of the premotor cortex. Now the supplementary motor cortex is recognized as a distinct region of the motor cortex. As with the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area is connected to the primary motor cortex and the spinal cord via axons which carry nerve impulses through the motor thalamus, to the striatum, and finally into the basal ganglia. Using the external cues and the muscles identified by the premotor cortex, the supplemental motor area determines the sequence of specific movements needed for action to occur.
What does the premotor cortex do? The primary function of the premotor cortex is to utilize external cues, such as visual stimuli, to help determine the sequence of movements to be implemented by the primary motor cortex. Prior to the execution of a movement, the premotor cortex prepares the muscles for voluntary movements by using sensory signals involving sight, hearing, and proprioception, or the sensory awareness of the body's position in space.
The premotor cortex also possesses a behavioral component, in that specific actions are associated with specific behaviors, such as picking up a full glass of water when thirsty, or putting away a clean glass after it has been washed. This suggests that the premotor cortex is involved with assigning intentions to specific movements based on the behavioral context associated with that action. Moreover, this ability of the premotor cortex enables it help people understand the movements of other individuals.
In addition to these functions, the premotor cortex also indicates when a movement is carried out correctly or incorrectly. When an action is in process, the premotor cortex can make corrections to the sequence of movements in order to ensure that the entire process is successful in terms of completing the intended action.
Function of the Supplemental Motor Area
In conjunction with the premotor cortex, the supplemental motor area (formerly known as the medial area of the premotor cortex) is involved in decision making with regards to how an action is performed by the body. Based on signals from the primary motor and premotor cortexes, the supplemental motor area rapidly goes over the series of movements to be carried out prior to the specific action taking place, much like a mental checklist. The supplemental motor area is also involved in muscle memory in terms of determining the amount of energy or force needed for a specific movement, as well as the orientation of the body in space when a movement is performed.
The motor cortex represents a portion of the brain involved in the control of voluntary movements, or movements under an individual's conscious control. The motor cortex is divided into three regions - the primary motor cortex, the premotor cortex, and the supplemental motor area. In the past, researchers divided the premotor cortex into two areas, the lateral and medial areas of the premotor cortex. Now, scientists refer to the lateral area as the premotor cortex itself and to the medial area as the supplemental motor cortex (or area).
The premotor cortex is located just in front of the primary motor cortex. The supplemental motor cortex (formerly the medial premotor cortex) divides the premotor cortex into two sections located in the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The primary function of the premotor cortex is to prepare the body for movement through the use of external cues related to vision and balance. The supplemental motor area is involved in decision making and muscle memory using signals provided by the premotor and primary motor cortexes.
Video Transcript
The Amazing Brain
We know our brains are responsible for how smart we are and how well we do in school. Do you ever think about how much else your brain does? Every move you make, from involuntary functions, like blinking your eye, to voluntary ones, like watching this video, is conducted by the brain.
Scientists now know that different regions of the brain are responsible for different jobs; from the speech center to the motor center. All regions of the brain are amazing machines that rarely take a break. The premotor cortex is the region we'll focus on in this lesson.
Controlling Movement
Every move the body makes is due to the brain's ability to send signals to the right muscles. All of this happens in a part of the brain called the motor cortex region. The motor cortex has three main parts that each have their own job - the primary motor cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the premotor cortex. The motor region controls all voluntary movements, from planning them to carrying them out. Swinging a baseball bat, typing on the computer, or drinking water are all controlled in the motor cortex region.
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The premotor cortex is located just in front of the primary motor cortex in the brain. Its job is to prepare the body's muscles for the exact movements the will make. In other words, it helps you control your movements. This morning you got up and dressed. You brushed your teeth and combed your hair. The premotor cortex allowed you to make choices about these movements. You squeezed toothpaste onto your toothbrush and not lotion due to the premotor cortex. It uses information provided by your senses, like seeing the toothpaste tube, to guide decisions.
While the motor cortex is responsible for the specific movements your body makes, the premotor cortex helps decide which movements to use. Think of a professional tennis player. He may know as he approaches a shot that he has a choice of hitting down the line or crosscourt, depending on which way his opponent moves just before the shot. That external cue tells the premotor cortex to select the most appropriate shot and then signal the motor cortex which actions it should take.
Lateral and Medial Areas
The premotor cortex is divided into two sections, the lateral and medial areas. The lateral area responds to external clues, like we saw with the tennis player before. When he judged where the ball was and lined up his next move, he was using the lateral area. The medial area responds to internal cues, like memory, such as when a tennis player mentally rehearses his form before a match.
Lesson Summary
Every move the body makes is due to the brain's ability to send signals to the right muscles. All of this happens in a part of the brain called the motor cortex region. It controls all voluntary movements, from planning them to carrying them out. One of the three main parts of this region is the premotor cortex, which has the job of preparing the body's muscles for the exact movements they'll make. While the motor cortex is responsible for the specific movements your body makes, the premotor cortex helps decide which movements to use, based on various cues it processes.
The premotor cortex is divided into two sections: the lateral area responds to external cues, like those given to you by your senses. The medial area responds to internal cues, such as memory.
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