Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Direct Motor Pathways

Direct Motor Pathways

The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and the...

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.

Indirect Motor Pathways

Indirect Motor Pathways

The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...

Brainstem

Brainstem

The brainstem, located inferior to the brain and superior to the spinal cord, serves as a bridge between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It plays a vital role in relaying information and controlling critical life functions. It comprises three primary regions: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
The Midbrain
The midbrain is located beneath the diencephalon and connects the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain. The cerebral peduncles are prominent midbrain structures that house the...

Hierarchy of Motor Control

Hierarchy of Motor Control

The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

The thalamus, often called “the gateway to the cerebral cortex,” is vital in processing and directing sensory and motor signals throughout the brain. Almost all inputs destined for the cerebral cortex, except for olfactory signals, are relayed through the thalamus. The thalamus is a sophisticated relay station, channeling information from various brain regions to the cerebral cortex, as well as a filter, prioritizing certain signals over others based on current physiological states or needs.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Early Target Object Prediction in Action Observation.

Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006)·2026

Same author

Rational expectations and kinematic information in coordination games.

Cognition·2026

Same author

An intracranial insight into (the timing of) the action observation network.

NeuroImage·2026

Same author

In vivo parcellation of the human superior colliculus from brain-wide probabilistic connectivity.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

As apparent as real: alpha and beta bands desynchronization unveils apparent motion perception dynamics.

NeuroImage·2025

Same author

Bridging feeling and motion: Insula-premotor dynamics in the processing of action vitality forms.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Motor Imagery Performance Through Embodied Digital Twins in a Virtual Reality-Enabled Brain-Computer Interface Environment

Motor Imagery Performance Through Embodied Digital Twins in a Virtual Reality-Enabled Brain-Computer Interface Environment

Published on: May 10, 2024

Mirror neurons and motor intentionality.

Giacomo Rizzolatti¹, Corrado Sinigaglia

¹Department of Neurosciences, Section of Physiology, University of Parma, Italy. giacomo.rizzolatti@unipr.it

Functional Neurology

|January 10, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Understanding others' intentions relies on mirroring actions via mirror neurons, not just mind-reading. This suggests a motor approach is key to comprehending intentionality and social interaction.

More Related Videos

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

Published on: October 4, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Motor Imagery Performance Through Embodied Digital Twins in a Virtual Reality-Enabled Brain-Computer Interface Environment

Motor Imagery Performance Through Embodied Digital Twins in a Virtual Reality-Enabled Brain-Computer Interface Environment

Published on: May 10, 2024

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants

Published on: October 4, 2015

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Social Psychology
Neurophysiology

Background:

Social interaction depends on understanding others' intentions.
The influential 'mind-reading' theory posits intention understanding relies on meta-representation (attributing mental states).
This view is challenged by neurophysiological findings, particularly mirror neurons.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the neurophysiological basis of understanding others' intentions.
To explore the role of mirror neurons in intentional understanding.
To challenge the primacy of meta-representation in explaining intentionality.

Main Methods:

Review of neurophysiological findings, focusing on mirror neuron research.
Analysis of the functional properties of mirror neurons.
Theoretical integration of motor and intentional action components.

Main Results:

Mirror neuron properties suggest intentional understanding is based on direct matching of observed actions with one's own motor representations.
This challenges the necessity of meta-representation for understanding intentions.
Motor and intentional aspects of action are deeply intertwined.

Conclusions:

Intentional understanding may primarily rely on a direct motor-based mechanism.
A motor approach to intentionality is crucial for comprehending action.
Social cognition may be fundamentally rooted in motor processes.