Don't plan, just do it: Cognitive and sensorimotor contributions to manual dexterity

•Nine-Hole peg test was compared with a new task involving the sensorimotor domain.•Sensorimotor and prefrontal activity during manual dexterity was assessed by fNIRS.•Right BA10 and BA11 are the substrate for cognitive planning in manual dexterity.•BA10 activity correlates with increased time to perform the nine-hole peg test.•Cognitive domain should be considered when manual dexterity is investigated.