The Small Scale Functional Topology of Movement Control: Hierarchical Organization of Local Activity Anticipates Movement Generation in the Premotor Cortex of Primates

How neurons coordinate their collective activity for behavioural control is an open question in neuroscience. Several studies have progressively proven, on various scales, that the patterns of neural synchronization change accordingly with behavioural events. However, the topological features of the neural dynamics that underlie task-based cognitive decisions on the small scale level are not understood. We analysed the multiunit activity (MUA) from a multielectrode (96 channels) array of the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) in rhesus monkeys during a countermanding reaching task. Within the framework of graph theory, we found that in the local PMd network motor execution is preceded by the emergence of hubs of anti-correlation that are organized in a hierarchical manner. Conversely, this organization is absent when monkeys correctly inhibit programmed movements. Thus, we interpret the presence of hubs as reflecting the readiness of the motor plan and the irrevocable signature of the onset of the incoming movement.