In order to initiate movement, the brain must have current information about the environment. Through the sensory organs, this information is collected, projected to its proper location in the brain, and analysed. As seen in the chart below, the sensory information and function of the areas involved are shown:
| Lobes | Function |
|---|---|
| Occipital | Perception & Memory of Vision |
| Parietal | Perception & Memory of Space, Proprioception, and Somatosensory |
| Temporal | Perception & Memory of Sound |
The frontal lobe gathers this information and uses it to plan movements. The specific area in the frontal lobe that is involved with motion is the prefrontal cortex, which is located rostral to the premotor cortex and supplementary motor area. These two areas are located adjacent and rostral to the primary motor cortex. The prefrontal cortex is of particular interest because this is the area that executes planned movement. Once the information has been analyzed at the prefrontal cortex, it is projected to the premotor cortex and supplementary motor area, and then to the primary motor cortex. Direct electrical stimulation of the primary motor cortex results in movement of specific areas of the body. Consequently, the signal is sent to the spinal cord and then to the appropriate area for movement. The diagram below summarizes the mechanism described above (Carlson, 236).