Why is cortical control essential

This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves. This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access. Asanuma H Cerebral cortical control of movement. Physiologist — PubMed Google Scholar. Asanuma H The pyramidal tract. Lippincott, Philadelphia Google Scholar. Georgopoulos AP et al Spatial coding of movement: a hypothesis concerning the coding of movement direction by motor cortical populations.

Hoshi E, Tanji J Distinctions between dorsal and ventral premotor areas: anatomical connectivity and functional properties. Murphy JT et al Spatial organization of precentral cortex in awake primates. The production of movement is organized into various levels of control. At the highest level, the cortex controls voluntary movements. These are all the movements that require co-ordination and precision to adapt to particular situations on the basis of information provided by the senses.

At the most basic level, movement is controlled by the spinal cord alone, with no help from the brain. The neurons of the spinal cord thus take charge of reflex movements as well as the rhythmic movements involved in walking. Between these two levels, there are all other kinds of movements.

For instance, like the movements involved in walking, the movements involved in breathing have an automatic component but can also be altered voluntarily for example, if you want, you can hold your breath, just as you can run instead of walk.

The basic function of the brain is to produce behaviours, which are, first and foremost, movements. Several different regions of the cerebral cortex are involved in controlling the body's movements. These regions are organized into a hierarchy like the crew of a ship. On an ancient galley, for example, the captain determined the destination for a voyage by assessing the various factors that might make such a trip worthwhile.

Then his lieutenants calculated the direction that the ship had to travel to reach that destination, based on weather conditions. Finally, the lieutenants transmitted their orders to the crew manning the oars, who used their muscles to move the ship in the desired direction. Even for a movement as simple as picking up a glass of water, one can scarcely imagine trying to consciously specify the sequence, force, amplitude, and speed of the contractions of every muscle concerned.

And yet, if we are healthy, we all make such movements all the time without even thinking of them. The decision to pick up a glass of water is accompanied by increased electrical activity in the frontal region of the cortex. The neurons in the frontal cortex then send impulses down their axons to activate the motor cortex itself. Using the information supplied by the visual cortex, the motor cortex plans the ideal path for the hand to follow to reach the glass.

The motor cortex then calls on other parts of the brain, such as the central grey nuclei and the cerebellum , which help to initiate and co-ordinate the activation of the muscles in sequence. Principles of Neural Science, Fifth Edition.

McGraw Hill; Accessed November 11, APA Citation Voluntary movement: the primary motor cortex. McGraw Hill. Download citation file: RIS Zotero. Reference Manager. Autosuggest Results. Subscribe: Institutional or Individual. Username Error: Please enter User Name. Password Error: Please enter Password. Forgot Password? Pop-up div Successfully Displayed This div only appears when the trigger link is hovered over.

However, the brain can heal itself and regain some lost function through neuroplasticity. This means undamaged parts can change their connections and remap to other areas of the body to take over function, compensating for damaged parts of the motor cortex. Neuroplasticity is the fundamental principle in physical rehabilitation , such as physiotherapy for patients following stroke, that allows patients to regain motor function and recover. Through neuroplasticity, the more a particular movement is performed, the stronger the brain pathways for that movement become and the easier it gets to perform that movement in the future.

Harry might have altered patterns of walking due to damage in the leg area of the motor cortex of the right side of his brain. To help Harry regain efficient walking ability, the physiotherapist helps him perform sequences or patterns of walking by practising activation and control of specific muscle groups in his left leg.

At first, Harry will need lots of concentration to use the correct muscles as his brain is laying down new neural pathways to compensate for the damaged areas.