Somatic motor and sensory representation in the cerebral cortex of man as studied by electrical stimulation
TL;DR
Motor cortex has topographic organization (motor homunculus)
Classic study establishing the motor homunculus - the topographic organization of motor cortex where adjacent brain regions control adjacent body parts. Foundational evidence for centralized motor control architecture in vertebrates.
Key Findings from Penfield & Boldrey (1937)
- Motor cortex has topographic organization (motor homunculus)
- Electrical stimulation produces specific motor responses
- Damage to motor cortex causes corresponding paralysis
- Central command structure controls voluntary movement