THE EFFECT OF SECTION OF THE CORPUS CALLOSUM ON THE MOTOR PERFORMANCE OF MONKEYS*

Abstract

Section of the corpus callosum (CC) in monkeys produces no motor weakness and does not cause forced grasping, but it does give rise to a definite syndrome characterized by inertia and slowness in initiating purposeful movements. Section of the CC subsequent to unilateral lesions of the motor areas produces no additional motor deficit in the contralateral extremities. A unilateral lesion of the motor or pre-motor areas subsequent to section of the CC is followed by no greater deficit than that seen with the same lesion with CC intact. Ipsilateral movement from stimulation of area 6 is not abolished by section of the CC.