A test of the role of two prefrontal/subcortical networks in the sequencing of non-motor, visuo-spatial information

There are a number of prefrontal/sub-cortical networks in the brain (e.g., cerebellar-thalamic-prefrontal or basal ganglia/supplementary motor cortex circuits) that despite having a clear role in motor function have been shown to be involved in non-motor tasks. In this project we test for the involvement of these networks in a dimensional judgment task that utilizes visual perceptual, visual spatial processing and requires the ordering of dimensional (height) information. Unlike previous studies examining non-motor sequencing, we directly compare both non-motor and motor versions of our dimensional judgment task. In addition, we examine activation uniquely associated with correct task responses. The findings provide evidence for the role of cortical not subcortical structures in the sequencing of visuo-spatial material apart from any motor output requirements. Our results suggest that the inferior parietal cortex (BA 7, 40) and medial frontal regions (BA 6, 8, 9 including the SMA) are instrumental to the task. Based on these results, we propose a prefrontal/parietal network plays a role in the implementation of a comparator mechanism that makes accurate comparisons along the dimension of interest, holds the information in working memory, and then (regardless of whether the information is correct or incorrect) generates a tag or abstract code that assigns the information a place in an ordered sequence. Most important, the information involved can be visual/symbolic and non-motor (not just motor) in nature.