"Motor control is the regulation of movement in organisms that possess a nervous system."
The neural processes involved in controlling voluntary movement.
Basic anatomy of the nervous system: Understanding the structure and function of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system is essential for understanding motor control.
Neurophysiology: The study of the electrical and chemical mechanisms that underlie neuron function and communication.
Neurochemistry: The chemicals in the brain that affect movement, including neurotransmitters and their receptors.
Sensorimotor integration: The process by which sensory information is used to guide motor behavior.
Motor learning: The process by which the brain acquires and refines motor skills over time.
Developmental motor control: The study of how motor skills develop in children.
Motor planning and execution: How the brain plans and executes movements and how different regions of the brain are involved in these processes.
Motor disorders: The types of disorders that affect motor control, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and cerebral palsy.
Motor rehabilitation: Techniques used to help individuals with motor disorders improve their motor function.
Motor control in sports: The study of how motor control affects performance in sports.
Brain-machine interfaces: The use of neural signals to control devices such as prosthetics.
Motor imagery: The use of mental simulation of movements to enhance motor learning and rehabilitation.
Motor control in aging: The study of how motor control changes as individuals age.
Neuroplasticity: The ability of the brain to change and adapt over time, including changes in motor function.
Emotion and motor control: The role of emotions in motor behavior, including how emotions can affect movement trajectories and motor timing.
Attention and motor control: The role of attentional processes in motor behavior, including how attentional focus affects movement accuracy and speed.
Environmental influences on motor control: The impact of environmental factors, such as stress, noise, and fatigue, on motor behavior.
Comparative motor control: Comparison of motor control across different species, including humans and other animals, to better understand the evolution of motor control.
Reflexes: Reflexes are automatic movements triggered by sensory stimuli that are important for survival. For example, the knee-jerk reflex is a movement of the leg in response to tapping the patellar tendon.
Voluntary movements: Voluntary movements are movements that we consciously control. These movements involve the planning and execution of complex movements, like reaching, grasping, and walking.
Postural control: Postural control is the ability to maintain balance and stability while standing, sitting, or moving. This ability is crucial for everyday activities and is regulated by the nervous system.
Timing and coordination: Timing and coordination involve the ability to time the initiation and termination of movements accurately and to coordinate multiple movements into a cohesive action.
Motor learning: Motor learning refers to the process of acquiring, refining, and improving motor skills through practice and repetition.
Motor planning: Motor planning involves the ability to plan and organize motor movements in advance, based on the demands of the task or situation.
Motor imagery: Motor imagery involves mentally rehearsing movements without physically performing them, and can be helpful for learning and improving motor skills.
Motor adaptation: Motor adaptation involves adjusting motor movements to accommodate for changes in the environment or the body, such as learning to walk on a slippery surface or adapting to a prosthetic limb.
"Motor control includes reflexes as well as directed movement."
"To control movement, the nervous system must integrate multimodal sensory information and elicit the necessary signals to recruit muscles to carry out a goal."
"The nervous system integrates multimodal sensory information from the external world as well as proprioception."
"This pathway spans many disciplines, including multisensory integration, signal processing, coordination, biomechanics, and cognition."
"The computational challenges are often discussed under the term sensorimotor control."
"Successful motor control is crucial to interacting with the world to carry out goals as well as for posture, balance, and stability."
"Some researchers, such as Daniel Wolpert and Randy Flanagan, argue that motor control is the reason brains exist at all."
"To carry out a goal."
"Proprioception is integrated by the nervous system to carry out a goal."
"Multisensory integration is crucial for the nervous system to regulate movement."
"The necessary signals are elicited by the nervous system to recruit muscles and carry out a goal."
"Coordination, biomechanics, multisensory integration, and cognition play a role in motor control."
"The computational challenges are often discussed under the term sensorimotor control."
"Successful motor control is crucial for interacting with the world, achieving goals, maintaining posture, balance, and stability."
"Some researchers argue that motor control is the reason brains exist at all."
"The nervous system regulates movement by integrating sensory information and eliciting signals for muscle recruitment."
"Motor control includes both reflexes and directed movement."
"Carrying out goals refers to the ability to perform actions in order to achieve desired outcomes."
"Motor control spans disciplines such as multisensory integration, signal processing, coordination, biomechanics, and cognition."