Beginner
Motor cortex
Also known as: M1, Precentral gyrus
A strip of the brain's outer layer that plans and controls voluntary movement, and the most common target for BCI implants.
The motor cortex runs across the top of the brain, roughly from ear to ear. Different parts control different body regions: hand, arm, face, tongue and larynx.
Even years after paralysis, the motor cortex usually still produces activity when a person attempts to move or speak. That’s why most implanted BCIs record from it.
Last updated Sep 30, 2026. Educational content, not medical advice.