Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2025
09:43
Reversible Cooling-induced Deactivations to Study Cortical Contributions to Obstacle Memory in the Walking Cat
Published on: December 11, 2017
7.0K
[Cortical Control of Steps During Locomotion to Avoid Obstacles].
1Department of Integrative Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama.
Brain and Nerve = Shinkei Kenkyu No Shinpo
|September 6, 2022
Summary
The primary motor cortex (MI), posterior parietal cortex (PPC), and premotor areas (PM) are crucial for visually guided locomotion in cats. Network activity between the PPC and PM transforms visual information for motor commands to modify steps.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Locomotion
Background:
- Cortical involvement in visually guided locomotion is established but detailed physiological evidence is recent.
- The primary motor cortex (MI), posterior parietal cortex (PPC), and premotor areas (PM) are implicated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on the roles of MI, PPC, and PM in visually guided locomotion in cats.
- To elucidate the functional network supporting visually guided step modification.
Main Methods:
- Review of physiological evidence from cat experiments.
- Analysis of neural activity in MI, PPC, and PM during locomotion.
Main Results:
- MI activity is tightly coupled with contralateral limb muscle activity, controlling muscle synergy.
- PPC signals effector-independent spatiotemporal relationships between obstacles and the body.
- PM transforms PPC's spatial information into effector-specific signals for MI to modify steps.
Conclusions:
- Network activity between PPC and PM is essential for visually guided locomotion.
- This network enables the transformation of visual information into motor commands for adaptive step modification.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Indirect Motor Pathways
1.6K
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...
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
1.6K
01:11Direct Motor Pathways
2.3K
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...
2.3K
01:18Hierarchy of Motor Control
3.3K
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.
3.3K
01:28Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
1.2K
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...
1.2K
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
4.5K
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....
4.5K
01:24Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
866
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...
866