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Related Concept Videos

Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

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.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

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.
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

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...
Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions01:17

Cerebellum: Anatomical Regions

The cerebellum, also known as the "little brain," is located in the posterior cranial fossa, inferior to the tentorium cerebelli and dorsal to the brainstem. It plays a significant role in motor control, coordination, and proprioception.
Cerebellar Structure
Externally, the cerebellum features a highly convoluted surface with numerous folia (narrow ridges) separated by shallow sulci (grooves). The cerebellum is divided into two hemispheres by a thin median structure known as the vermis. The...
Brainstem01:19

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...
Motor Units01:13

Motor Units

The motor unit is a fundamental component of the neuromuscular system and plays a crucial role in coordinating muscle contractions. It consists of a somatic motor neuron, which connects and controls multiple skeletal muscle fibers, forming a single functional segment. The axon of the motor neuron branches out and establishes synaptic connections known as neuromuscular junctions with individual muscle fibers within the motor unit.
Motor units come in different sizes, with smaller units...

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Related Experiment Video

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In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior
07:52

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Published on: November 22, 2021

A computational neuroanatomy for motor control.

Reza Shadmehr1, John W Krakauer

  • 1Laboratory for Computational Motor Control, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 410 Traylor Building, 720 Rutland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. shadmehr@jhu.edu

Experimental Brain Research
|February 6, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

By studying brain lesions, researchers can better understand normal motor control. Computational models help map specific deficits to brain areas like the cerebellum and basal ganglia.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Motor Control

Background:

  • The lesion approach has a long history in neurology and psychology for understanding brain function.
  • Recent advances allow for quantitative and computational characterization of the motor system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate how lesion studies and theoretical motor control can mutually inform each other.
  • To identify distinct motor control processes using computational models and link them to patient deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Review of motor control, motor learning, and higher-order motor control impairments in patients with lesions in specific brain regions (corticospinal tract, cerebellum, parietal cortex, basal ganglia, medial temporal lobe).
  • Explanation of impairments using computational concepts: state estimation, optimization, prediction, cost, and reward.

Main Results:

  • Cerebellum: System identification, predicting sensory outcomes, and internal feedback correction.
  • Parietal cortex: State estimation, integrating predicted and actual sensory feedback for body state belief.
  • Basal ganglia: Optimal control, learning costs/rewards, and estimating "cost-to-go".

Conclusions:

  • The study integrates computational neuroscience with lesion studies to elucidate motor control mechanisms.
  • Specific brain regions are associated with distinct computational functions crucial for motor control and learning.