Sensorimotor network explained

The sensorimotor network (SMN), also known as somatomotor network, is a large-scale brain network that primarily includes somatosensory (postcentral gyrus) and motor (precentral gyrus) regions and extends to the supplementary motor areas (SMA).^[1] The auditory cortex may also be included, as well as the visual cortex.^[2] The SMN is activated during motor tasks, such as finger tapping,^[3] indicating that the network readies the brain when performing and coordinating motor tasks.

Clinical significance

Dysfunction in the SMN has been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders.

• Bipolar Disorder: The psychomotor disturbances that characterize the depressive and manic phases of bipolar disorder may be related to dysfunction in the sensorimotor network (SMN) and its balance with other large-scale networks such as the default mode network.^{[4] [5]}
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Altered functional connectivity patterns in the SMN may contribute to various symptoms in the neurodegenerative disease .^[6]

Nomenclature

In 2019, Uddin et al. proposed that pericentral network (PN) be used as a standard anatomical name for the network.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Chenji S, Jha S, Lee D, Brown M, Seres P, Mah D, Kalra S . Investigating Default Mode and Sensorimotor Network Connectivity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis . PLOS ONE . 11 . 6 . e0157443 . June 2016 . 27322194 . 4913931 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0157443 . 2016PLoSO..1157443C . free .
2. Bi B, Che D, Bai Y . Neural network of bipolar disorder: Toward integration of neuroimaging and neurocircuit-based treatment strategies . Translational Psychiatry . 12 . 143 . April 2022 . 10.1038/s41398-022-01917-x . free . 8983759 .
3. Biswal B, Yetkin FZ, Haughton VM, Hyde JS . Functional connectivity in the motor cortex of resting human brain using echo-planar MRI . Magnetic Resonance in Medicine . 34 . 4 . 537–41 . October 1995 . 8524021 . 10.1002/mrm.1910340409. 775793 .
4. Martino M, Magioncalda P, Huang Z, Conio B, Piaggio N, Duncan NW, Rocchi G, Escelsior A, Marozzi V, Wolff A, Inglese M, Amore M, Northoff G . Contrasting variability patterns in the default mode and sensorimotor networks balance in bipolar depression and mania . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 113 . 17 . 4824–9 . April 2016 . 27071087 . 10.1073/pnas.1517558113 . 4855585 . 2016PNAS..113.4824M . free .
5. Doucet GE, Bassett DS, Yao N, Glahn DC, Frangou S . The Role of Intrinsic Brain Functional Connectivity in Vulnerability and Resilience to Bipolar Disorder . The American Journal of Psychiatry . 174 . 12 . 1214–1222 . December 2017 . 28817956 . 5711589 . 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17010095 .
6. Agosta F, Valsasina P, Absinta M, Riva N, Sala S, Prelle A, Copetti M, Comola M, Comi G, Filippi M . Sensorimotor functional connectivity changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis . Cerebral Cortex . 21 . 10 . 2291–8 . October 2011 . 21368084 . 10.1093/cercor/bhr002 . free .
7. Uddin. Lucina Q.. Yeo. B. T. Thomas. Spreng. R. Nathan. 2019-11-01. Towards a Universal Taxonomy of Macro-scale Functional Human Brain Networks. Brain Topography. en. 32. 6. 926–942. 10.1007/s10548-019-00744-6. 31707621. 7325607. 1573-6792.