Neural coding of behavioral relevance in parietal cortex

Abstract

Flexible control of behavior requires the selective processing of task-relevant sensory information and the appropriate linkage of sensory input to action. A great deal of evidence suggests a central role for the parietal cortex in these functions. Recent results from neurophysiological studies in non-human primates and neuroimaging experiments in humans illuminate the importance of parietal cortex for attention, and suggest how parietal neurons might allow the dynamic representation of behaviorally relevant information.