The results of recent studies in primates provide convincing evidence that the cortex on the medial wall of the hemisphere contains multiple areas concerned with the generation and control of body movement. Highlights of these findings include the demonstration that each of these motor areas has substantial direct projections to the spinal cord, somatotopically organized projections to the primary motor cortex, a 'motor' map, revealed by intracortical stimulation, and neuronal activity that precedes trained hand movements.