Local Field Potential Modulations in the Motor Cortex Arising from Different Tactile Cues and Visual Feedback in a Mixed Reality Environment

Abstract

Multisensory integration is a complex integration of multiple senses used to form percepts that are critical for interacting with one’s surroundings. Mixed reality platforms are a way to study multisensory integration. In a recent study from the lab, a mixed reality platform was used to examine effects of different tactile cues and arm visual feedback on spiking activity obtained from non-human primates (NHP) performing reaching tasks. The aim of this project is to examine local field potential (LFP) modulations in the motor cortex arising from different tactile cues and arm visual feedback. The methods used to analyze the LFPs were principal component analysis (PCA), clustering, and frequency domain analysis, all implemented in MATLAB. The clustering analysis revealed groups of channels that shared similar activity patterns which could be associated with specific neural processing functions within the motor cortex. Regarding the frequency domain analyses, some channels demonstrated little change in beta power before and after the animals viewed their arm on task trials, indicating that neurons in this area may not be as sensitive to visual feedback. Other channels exhibited a marked increase in beta and low gamma power, which could indicate a role for the motor cortex role in updating the internal representation of arm position based on visual input. Tactile cues also appeared to influence LFP activity in the motor cortex, with channel-specific effects such as enhanced spectral power in the beta and low gamma bands, suggesting that tactile input primes the motor cortex for integrating sensory modalities during movement planning. The results suggest the presence of anatomically selective cortical processing of visual arm position cues in the motor cortex.

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