Input-output relationships in the jaw and orofacial motor zones of the cat cerebral cortex.

Input-output relationships of the jaw and orofacial motor zones in the cerebral cortex of lightly anesthetized cats were studied. These relationships were examined by studying the motor effects produced by intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) and recording from single neuron. Jaw and orofacial motor effects were evoked by ICMS of the anterior part of the coronal and lateral sigmoid gyri (C-S motor zone) and the lateral wall of the presylvian sulcus (P motor zone). ICMS of the P motor zone produced more complex movements than that of the C-S motor zone. Repetitive stimulation of the P motor zone also evoked rhythmic jaw movements. Almost all cortical cells located in the C-S motor zone responded to tactile stimulation of cutaneous skin of the orofacial regions or the tooth, whereas those of the P motor zone received no cutaneous input from the orofacial regions. Cytoarchitectonically, the C-S motor zone was restricted to areas 3a, 6a beta and occasionally to area 4 gamma, whereas the P motor zone was represented to area 6a beta. Therefore, it is concluded that the C-S motor zone might be involved in sensorimotor integration of the jaw and orofacial motor functions, whereas the P motor zone might function only as a command area for jaw and orofacial movements.