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Related Concept Videos

Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

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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.
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Direct Motor Pathways01:11

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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.
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Motor Units01:13

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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.
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Motor Units00:46

Motor Units

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A motor unit consists of two main components: a single efferent motor neuron (i.e., a neuron that carries impulses away from the central nervous system) and all of the muscle fibers it innervates. The motor neuron may innervate multiple muscle fibers, which are single cells, but only one motor neuron innervates a single muscle fiber.
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Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

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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...
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Brainstem01:19

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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
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On Primitives in Motor Control.

Mark L Latash1

  • 1The Pennsylvania State University.

Motor Control
|January 26, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Motor control research uses primitives to explain complex movements, linking them to neural control and task-level organization. These performance primitives adapt based on factors like external force fields.

Keywords:
central pattern generatormotor cortexreferent coordinatesynergyuncontrolled manifold

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Area of Science:

  • Motor control
  • Neuroscience
  • Biomechanics

Background:

  • The concept of primitives is central to understanding motor control, akin to Bernstein's engrams and synergies.
  • Performance primitives have been studied using peripheral variables but linked to neural control mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the theoretical and experimental basis of performance primitives in motor control.
  • To explore the origins and variability of motor primitives.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of theoretical constructs and experimental findings in motor control.
  • Analysis of how primitives relate to body mechanics, spinal, and supraspinal circuitry.

Main Results:

  • Primitives can be viewed as preferred time functions of spatial coordinates at the task level.
  • They may also arise from mappings between different levels of referent coordinates.
  • External force fields significantly influence the emergence of different primitive patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Motor control primitives likely originate at the task level, involving preferred temporal patterns.
  • Their manifestation is diverse, reflecting neural control strategies and adaptation to external conditions.