RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 A mind-body interface alternates with effector-specific regions in motor cortex JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2022.10.26.513940 DO 10.1101/2022.10.26.513940 A1 Evan M. Gordon A1 Roselyne J. Chauvin A1 Andrew N. Van A1 Aishwarya Rajesh A1 Ashley Nielsen A1 Dillan J. Newbold A1 Charles J. Lynch A1 Nicole A. Seider A1 Samuel R. Krimmel A1 Kristen M. Scheidter A1 Julia Monk A1 Ryland L. Miller A1 Athanasia Metoki A1 David F. Montez A1 Annie Zheng A1 Immanuel Elbau A1 Thomas Madison A1 Tomoyuki Nishino A1 Michael J. Myers A1 Sydney Kaplan A1 Carolina Badke D’Andrea A1 Damion V. Demeter A1 Matthew Feigelis A1 Deanna M. Barch A1 Christopher D. Smyser A1 Cynthia E. Rogers A1 Jan Zimmermann A1 Kelly N. Botteron A1 John R. Pruett A1 Jon T. Willie A1 Peter Brunner A1 Joshua S. Shimony A1 Benjamin P. Kay A1 Scott Marek A1 Scott A. Norris A1 Caterina Gratton A1 Chad M. Sylvester A1 Jonathan D. Power A1 Conor Liston A1 Deanna J. Greene A1 Jarod L. Roland A1 Steven E. Petersen A1 Marcus E. Raichle A1 Timothy O. Laumann A1 Damien A. Fair A1 Nico U.F. Dosenbach YR 2022 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/10/28/2022.10.26.513940.abstract AB Primary motor cortex (M1) has been thought to form a continuous somatotopic homunculus extending down precentral gyrus from foot to face representations1,2. The motor homunculus has remained a textbook pillar of functional neuroanatomy, despite evidence for concentric functional zones3 and maps of complex actions4. Using our highest precision functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and methods, we discovered that the classic homunculus is interrupted by regions with sharpy distinct connectivity, structure, and function, alternating with effector-specific (foot, hand, mouth) areas. These inter-effector regions exhibit decreased cortical thickness and strong functional connectivity to each other, and to prefrontal, insular, and subcortical regions of the Cingulo-opercular network (CON), critical for executive action5 and physiological control6, arousal7, and processing of errors8 and pain9. This interdigitation of action control-linked and motor effector regions was independently verified in the three largest fMRI datasets. Macaque and pediatric (newborn, infant, child) precision fMRI revealed potential cross-species analogues and developmental precursors of the inter-effector system. An extensive battery of motor and action fMRI tasks documented concentric somatotopies for each effector, separated by the CON-linked inter-effector regions. The inter-effector regions lacked movement specificity and co-activated during action planning (coordination of hands and feet), and axial body movement (e.g., abdomen, eyebrows). These results, together with prior work demonstrating stimulation-evoked complex actions4 and connectivity to internal organs (e.g., adrenal medulla)10, suggest that M1 is punctuated by an integrative system for implementing whole-body action plans. Thus, two parallel systems intertwine in motor cortex to form an integrate-isolate pattern: effector-specific regions (foot, hand, mouth) for isolating fine motor control, and a mind-body interface (MBI) for the integrative whole-organism coordination of goals, physiology, and body movement.Competing Interest StatementDAF and NUFD have a financial interest in NOUS Imaging Inc. and may financially benefit if the company is successful in marketing FIRMM motion-monitoring software products. DAF and NUFD may receive royalty income based on FIRMM technology developed at Washington University School of Medicine and Oregon Health and Sciences University and licensed to NOUS Imaging Inc. DAF and NUFD are co-founders of NOUS Imaging Inc. These potential conflicts of interest have been reviewed and are managed by Washington University School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Sciences University and the University of Minnesota. The other authors declare no competing interests.