Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

6.9K
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.
6.9K
Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

Indirect Motor Pathways

3.9K
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...
3.9K
Direct Motor Pathways01:11

Direct Motor Pathways

5.4K
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...
5.4K
Brainstem01:19

Brainstem

8.5K
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...
8.5K
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay01:27

Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay

5.8K
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...
5.8K
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

3.6K
Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the...
3.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Adaptive Charge Modulation Enables Focal, Selective Spinal Cord Stimulation.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Directed differentiation of functional corticospinal-like neurons from endogenous SOX6+/NG2+ cortical progenitors.

eLife·2026
Same author

MIMIC-MJX: Neuromechanical Emulation of Animal Behavior.

ArXiv·2025
Same author

Massively Parallel Imitation Learning of Mouse Forelimb Musculoskeletal Reaching Dynamics.

ArXiv·2025
Same author

The antiviral Interferon pathway drives astrocyte aging and motor decline.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Cerebellar outputs for rapid directional refinement of forelimb movement.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 18, 2026

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

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

4.0K

Skilled forelimb movements and internal copy motor circuits.

Eiman Azim1, Bror Alstermark2

  • 1Departments of Neuroscience and Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|January 16, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Understanding precise mammalian forelimb movements requires linking motor control theories with neural mechanisms. Research explores how internal copy pathways and forward models refine motor output for online corrections and adaptation.

More Related Videos

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats
08:59

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Published on: June 22, 2015

11.1K
Assessing Forelimb Function after Unilateral Cervical SCI using Novel Tasks: Limb Step-alternation, Postural Instability and Pasta Handling
08:11

Assessing Forelimb Function after Unilateral Cervical SCI using Novel Tasks: Limb Step-alternation, Postural Instability and Pasta Handling

Published on: September 16, 2013

22.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 18, 2026

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

In Vivo Wireless Optogenetic Control of Skilled Motor Behavior

Published on: November 22, 2021

4.0K
Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats
08:59

Acquisition of a High-precision Skilled Forelimb Reaching Task in Rats

Published on: June 22, 2015

11.1K
Assessing Forelimb Function after Unilateral Cervical SCI using Novel Tasks: Limb Step-alternation, Postural Instability and Pasta Handling
08:11

Assessing Forelimb Function after Unilateral Cervical SCI using Novel Tasks: Limb Step-alternation, Postural Instability and Pasta Handling

Published on: September 16, 2013

22.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Mammalian forelimb movements exhibit remarkable precision, driven by continuous motor output adjustments.
  • Bridging the gap between theoretical models and neural implementation is key to understanding motor refinement.
  • Internal copy pathways and forward models are influential theories for explaining motor prediction and online correction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent progress in understanding the neural basis of forelimb motor refinement.
  • To connect theoretical frameworks of motor control with their neural substrates.
  • To highlight the role of internal copy pathways in motor prediction and adaptation.

Main Methods:

  • Discussion of theoretical frameworks, including forward models and internal copy pathways.
  • Review of behavioral studies on online movement correction and adaptation.
  • Exploration of neural substrates using genetically tractable animal models.
  • Isolation and investigation of spinal and cerebellar circuits' contributions to movement.

Main Results:

  • Behavioral studies support the role of internal copy pathways in online movement correction and adaptation.
  • Neural substrates of forelimb internal copy pathways are becoming clearer.
  • Genetically tractable models aid in isolating spinal and cerebellar circuit functions.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding motor refinement necessitates integrating internal copy pathway theories with neural circuit investigations.
  • Spinal and cerebellar circuits are crucial for the precise control and adaptation of forelimb movements.
  • Future research should continue to explore the neural implementation of motor prediction and refinement.