Sensorimotor cortex injury effects on recovery of contralesional dexterous movements in Macaca mulatta

The effects of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) injury on recovery of contralateral upper limb reaching and grasping were studied by comparing the consequences of isolated lesions to the arm/hand region of primary motor cortex (M1) and lateral premotor cortex (LPMC) to lesions of these same areas plus anterior parietal cortex (S1 and rostral area PE). We used multiple linear regression to assess the effects of gray and white matter lesion volumes on deficits in reaching and fine motor performance during the first month after the lesion, and during recovery of function over 3, 6 and 12 months post-injury in 13 monkeys. Subjects with frontoparietal lesions exhibited larger deficits and poorer recovery as predicted, including one subject with extensive peri-Rolandic injury developing learned nonuse after showing signs of recovery. Regression analyses showed that total white matter lesion volume was strongly associated with initial post-lesion deficits in motor performance and with recovery of skill in reaching and manipulation. Multiple regression analyses using percent damage to caudal M1 (M1c), rostral S1 (S1r), LPMC and area PE as predictor variables showed that S1r lesion volumes were closely related to delayed post-lesion recovery of upper limb function, as well as lower skill level of recovery. In contrast, M1c lesion volume was related primarily to initial post-lesion deficits in hand motor performance. Overall, these findings demonstrate that frontoparietal injury impairs hand motor function more so than frontal motor injury alone, and results in slower and poorer recovery than lesions limited to frontal motor cortex.