A CRITICAL REEXAMINATION OF THE CONCEPT OF FUNCTION WITHIN THE NEOCORTEX OF THE MONKEY

Combined neurophysiological/psychophysiological experiments have been applied to the study of how motor acts are planned. The justification for these experiments was the structural isomorphism between theoretic al stage models of information processing and the supposed functional specialization of cortical areas. However, recent developments in both fields now suggest that the assumptions on which this isomorphism is based may be erroneous. Describing the results of our own combined exp eriments, we attempt to show how the concept of function within the ce rebral cortex needs to be revised. We present new interpretations of d ata from single neuron recording experiments in three cortical areas w hich challenge the traditional idea of structure/function. In its plac e, we propose the hypothesis of a continuum of function going from sen sory input to motor output.