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Related Concept Videos

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...
Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

Motor Unit Stimulation

When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
Functions of the Nervous System01:18

Functions of the Nervous System

The nervous system is responsible for coordinating and regulating the body's functions. It functions through three main processes: sensory, integrative, and motor processes. Sensory function involves the detection and transmission of information about internal and external stimuli from sensory receptors to the CNS. The CNS processes this information through an integrative function, where it interprets and makes decisions based on the incoming sensory information. Finally, the motor function...
Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

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...
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.
Anatomical Movements00:51

Anatomical Movements

Anatomical movements refer to the various actions or motions that can be performed by the body's joints and muscles. These movements are described using specific terms to provide a standardized way of discussing and understanding the range of motion at different joints.
Here are some common anatomical movements:
Flexion and extension motions are in the sagittal (anterior–posterior) plane of motion. These movements take place at the shoulder, hip, elbow, knee, wrist, metacarpophalangeal,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges
07:18

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges

Published on: January 26, 2024

Gesturing Meaning: Non-action Words Activate the Motor System.

Patric Bach1, Debra Griffiths, Matthias Weigelt

  • 1School of Psychology, Bangor University Bangor, UK.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|December 2, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Speakers

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Linguistics

Background:

  • Iconic gestures add a visual, pictorial dimension to spoken language.
  • These gestures convey both motor and visuospatial information.
  • The cognitive and neural underpinnings of gesture production are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the direct link between perceptual shape representation and the motor system during gesture production.
  • To explore how implicitly activated shape information influences hand movements.
  • To provide evidence for ideomotor theories of action and perception in gesture formation.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments were conducted involving participants making hand gestures.
  • Participants perceived shapes directly and implicitly through semantic judgments of object words.
Keywords:
affordancesgestureideomotor theorieslanguageobject shapestimulus–response compatibility

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Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
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Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

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Stimulating the Lip Motor Cortex with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

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Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges
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Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
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Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

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Stimulating the Lip Motor Cortex with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
12:09

Stimulating the Lip Motor Cortex with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

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  • Hand motion paths were analyzed to measure gesture execution and shape capture.

    • Main Results:

    • Participants' hand movements mimicked perceived shapes, even when shapes were only implicitly activated.
    • This effect occurred irrespective of whether objects were associated with matching motor behaviors.
    • Implied shape significantly impacted both the selection and execution of hand gestures.

    Conclusions:

    • Demonstrates a direct link between implicit shape representation and motor output in gesture production.
    • Provides empirical support for ideomotor theories, suggesting perception and action systems are intimately connected.
    • Offers an explanation for the widespread use of iconic gestures in communication.