Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
09:52
Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Published on: February 23, 2020
9.9K
Reorganization between preparatory and movement population responses in motor cortex
Gamaleldin F Elsayed1,2, Antonio H Lara2, Matthew T Kaufman3
1Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
Nature Communications
|November 4, 2016
Summary
Neural populations flexibly switch computations using distinct, orthogonal subspaces for preparation and movement. This reveals a novel population-level strategy for separate yet linked neural computations, challenging existing models.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Computational Neuroscience
- Motor Control
Background:
- Neural populations exhibit remarkable flexibility, rapidly altering computations.
- The population-level strategies underlying this neural flexibility remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the computational strategies employed by neural populations in motor cortex during reach preparation and movement.
- To understand how neural populations achieve flexible computation on short timescales.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of population responses in motor cortex during reach preparation and execution.
- Examination of neural activity patterns and subspace structures.
Main Results:
- Identified exclusive and orthogonal population-level subspaces for preparatory and movement computations.
- Observed a complete reorganization of neuron response correlations between preparation and movement phases.
- Found lawful relationships between preparatory and subsequent movement subspace responses despite orthogonality.
Conclusions:
- The motor cortex utilizes distinct, orthogonal neural circuits for separate computations at different times.
- This orthogonal strategy allows a single neural population to function as independent circuits with unique properties.
- Findings challenge existing models and reveal a novel population-level mechanism for flexible and linked computations.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
8.7K
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....
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....
8.7K
01:18Hierarchy of Motor Control
6.6K
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.
6.6K
01:23Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
3.5K
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at...
3.5K
01:33Somatosensation
44.4K
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
44.4K
01:11Direct Motor Pathways
5.0K
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 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...
5.0K