Premotor+Cortex

The premotor area receives impulses to move that have been organized in the Supplementary motor area (SMA), processes and integrate these signals, and then acts to program the adjacent primary motor areas with which it is intimately interconnected. Both the premotor and primary motor areas are located along the lateral and medial surface of the hemisphere. Although the premotor area does not contain giant Betz cells (which are found in area 4), it contributes almost 1/3 of the fibers of the corticospinal tract.

-Guidance and refinement of movement via the assimilation of sensory information provided by the sensory areas -Interacts with the basal ganglia, motor thalamus, and SMA so as to achieve these goals -Very active when learning new motor programs
 * Primary Functions: **

** Broadman's Areas: ** 6

-Supplementary Motor Area -Primary and secondary somesthetic and visual (area 17, 18, 19) cortices
 * Connected From: **

Primary Motor Area
 * Connected To: **

Complex patterned movement sequences as well as stereotyped and gross motor responses such as head turning or torsion of the body
 * Electrical Stimulation: **

-Disruption of fine motor functioning and dexterity (e.g. finger tapping) -With extensive damage fine motor skills are completely lost and phenomena such as the grasp reflex are elicited (i.e. if hand is stimulated it will invulantarily clasp shut)
 * Injury/Damage: **

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">The SMA becomes activated prior to the premotor area, which becomes activate prior to the primary motor area. Hence, whereas neurons in the primary motor region become active during movement, excitation in the premotor cortex precedes cellular activation of the primary region. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Cells in the premotor cortex become activated before movements are even initiated, whereas electrical stimulation of this area induces the illusion of a impending movement. Other findings suggest that the premotor area may be modulating and exerting controlling and integrative influences on impulses which are to be transmitted to the primary region for expression.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">Notes: **