Functional Connectivity of Frontal Motor Areas

Functional connectivity of frontal motor areas refers to the coordinated activity and pathways linking the premotor cortex, supplementary motor area (SMA), pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and associated white matter tracts. These networks underpin planning, initiation, sequencing and inhibition of voluntary movement and extend to cognitive and sensorimotor integration. Advances in neuroimaging and focal stimulation techniques have revealed distinct subregional profiles and interhemispheric circuits, highlighting the frontal aslant tract and transcallosal fibres as critical conduits. Insights from connectomic mapping inform neurosurgical planning, rehabilitation strategies and the development of brain–machine interfaces.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have introduced a statistical framework for integrating focal disruptions with anatomical connectivity to map distributed influences in the medial frontal wall. Application of transient electrical stimulation during pre-surgical evaluation has distinguished local from global contributions to motor and sensory behaviour, revealing a dissociation between direct cortical sites and their wider networks. In parallel, ultra-high-field diffusion imaging has dissected segments of the frontal aslant tract connecting dorsolateral prefrontal regions and the SMA, linking microstructural robustness to performance in memory, spatial orientation and fluid intelligence. This work demonstrates lateralised specialisation and extends the role of this pathway beyond language to broader cognitive–motor functions.

Functional Connectivity of Frontal Motor Areas publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in functional connectivity of frontal motor areas across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Functional connectivity: Statistical dependence between activity in different brain regions, often inferred from correlated signal fluctuations in functional MRI.

Supplementary motor area (SMA): Medial frontal cortex region involved in planning, initiation and control of voluntary movements.

Pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA): Rostral division of the SMA implicated in higher-order aspects of action sequencing and cognitive control.

Premotor cortex: Lateral frontal area subdivided into dorsal and ventral regions, engaged in motor planning and selection based on external cues.

Frontal aslant tract (FAT): White matter pathway connecting the SMA complex to inferior frontal gyrus, implicated in speech, motor initiation and cognitive control.

Diffusion tractography: Imaging technique that reconstructs white matter pathways by modelling the directional diffusion of water molecules.

References

1. A framework for focal and connectomic mapping of transiently disrupted brain function. Communications Biology (2023).
2. Harnessing the frontal aslant tract’s structure to assess its involvement in cognitive functions: new insights from 7-T diffusion imaging. Scientific Reports (2024).
3. Functional Connectivity Profiles of Ten Sub-Regions within the Premotor and Supplementary Motor Areas: Insights into Neurophysiological Integration. Diagnostics (2024).
4. Probabilistic coverage of the frontal aslant tract in young adults: Insights into individual variability, lateralization, and language functions. Human Brain Mapping (2024).
5. Beyond Avoiding Hemiplegia after Glioma Surgery: The Need to Map Complex Movement in Awake Patient to Preserve Conation. Cancers (2023).