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Related Concept Videos

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...
Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation01:13

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...
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.
Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity01:11

Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity

The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) plays a pivotal role in regulating gastrointestinal or GI motor activity. This complex network of nerves, deeply embedded within the gut wall, responds to changes in the gut environment and receives input from both the autonomic nervous system and the central nervous system. By doing so, the ENS operates various programs tailored to the body's nutritional status and needs.
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Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
07:19

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

Executive function orchestrates regulation of task-relevant gait fluctuations.

Leslie M Decker1, Fabien Cignetti, Nicholas Stergiou

  • 1Nebraska Biomechanics Core Facility, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA. leslie.decker@univ-montp1.fr

Gait & Posture
|January 23, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Executive function, or high-level cognitive processes, is crucial for regulating step speed during treadmill walking. When cognitive load increases, the ability to correct speed fluctuations diminishes, highlighting the brain

Keywords:
Detrended fluctuation analysisExecutive functionMinimum intervention principleVariabilityWalking

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
07:19

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biomechanics
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Humans naturally regulate treadmill walking by correcting step speed fluctuations while ignoring step time and length.
  • This regulation strategy suggests a minimum intervention principle in motor control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if the regulation of step speed fluctuations, unlike step time and length, relies on executive functions.
  • To determine the role of high-level cognitive processes in gait control.

Main Methods:

  • Young adults performed treadmill walking under two conditions: a control condition and a condition with a concurrent dichotic listening task.
  • Analysis focused on fluctuations in step speed, step time, and step length during treadmill walking.

Main Results:

  • Performing the dichotic listening task (taxing executive function) led to less anti-persistent step speed fluctuations.
  • This indicates an impaired ability to rapidly correct speed deviations when cognitive load was high.
  • Fluctuations in step time and step length remained unaffected by the cognitive task.

Conclusions:

  • High-level executive functions are specifically involved in regulating task-relevant gait variables, such as step speed.
  • The brain selectively allocates cognitive resources to control critical aspects of locomotion.
  • Motor control of gait is modulated by cognitive demands, particularly for task-relevant parameters.