Lecture 1: Overview of Motor Control. What is Motor Control?

Lecture 1:Lecture 1:

Overview of Motor Overview of Motor ControlControl

What is Motor Control?What is Motor Control?

The big picture...The big picture...

M o to r C o n tro l M o to r L e arn ing M o to r D e ve lop m e nt

M o to r B e ha v io r

Motor BehaviorMotor Behavior

An area of study stressing primarily An area of study stressing primarily the principles of human skilled the principles of human skilled movement generated at a movement generated at a behavioral level of analysis.behavioral level of analysis.

Motor Behavior:Motor Behavior:

ActionAction PerceptionPerception CognitionCognition Interaction of individual, task and Interaction of individual, task and

environment.environment.

Motor ControlMotor Control

An area of study dealing with the An area of study dealing with the understanding of the neural, understanding of the neural, physiological and behavioral physiological and behavioral aspects of movements.aspects of movements.

Two main aspects of motor Two main aspects of motor control:control: Stabilizing the body in space, Stabilizing the body in space,

postural and balance control.postural and balance control. Moving the body in space, Moving the body in space,

movement.movement.

Motor LearningMotor Learning

A set of internal processes A set of internal processes associated with practice or associated with practice or experience leading to relatively experience leading to relatively permanent changes in the permanent changes in the capability of motor skill.capability of motor skill.

Motor DevelopmentMotor Development

A field of study concerning the A field of study concerning the changes in motor bahavior changes in motor bahavior occuring as a result of growth, occuring as a result of growth, maturation and experience.maturation and experience.

Individual Task

Environment

Motor control

Why should we study motor Why should we study motor control?control?

Improving movement capability Improving movement capability following injury to guide clinical following injury to guide clinical intervention.intervention.

Improving motor performance.Improving motor performance. Generating and building theory.Generating and building theory.

Theory vs. Model in Motor Theory vs. Model in Motor ControlControl A theory of A theory of

motor control is motor control is a group of a group of abstract ideas abstract ideas about the nature about the nature and cause of and cause of movement.movement.

A model is a A model is a represetation of represetation of something, something, usually a usually a simplified simplified version of the version of the real thing.real thing.

Theories of Motor ControlTheories of Motor Control

Reflex theoryReflex theory

The building blocks of complex behavior.The building blocks of complex behavior. Sir Charles Sherrington, neurophisiologist Sir Charles Sherrington, neurophisiologist

(The Integrative Action of the Nervous (The Integrative Action of the Nervous System), 1906.System), 1906.

Classified the major responses to stimuli, and Classified the major responses to stimuli, and believed that most of the voluntary believed that most of the voluntary movements resulted from these fundamental movements resulted from these fundamental reflexes.reflexes.

Stimulus Stimulus ResponseResponse ResponseResponse

Sensory receptorSensory receptor

Effector(muscle)Effector(muscle)

Information processing modelInformation processing model

InputInput(Signals)(Signals)

ProcessingProcessing(The human)(The human)

OutputOutput(Motor response)(Motor response)

InputInput(Signals)(Signals)

ProcessingProcessing(The human)(The human)

OutputOutput(Motor response)(Motor response)

Information processing modelInformation processing model

Stimulus Stimulus ResponseStimulus Stimulus Response Response Movement Response Movement

(Input) iden.(Input) iden. selection progra. output selection progra. output

REACTION TIMEREACTION TIME

THE HUMANTHE HUMAN

Hierarchical TheoryHierarchical Theory

Top - down structureTop - down structure Reflexes are part of this hierarchy, Reflexes are part of this hierarchy,

normally higher centers inhibit themnormally higher centers inhibit them

(Chart to be scanned)(Chart to be scanned) Motor control emerges from reflexes, Motor control emerges from reflexes,

later on integrated with higher control later on integrated with higher control levels.levels. LimitationsLimitations

Motor programming theoriesMotor programming theories

Sensory input not essential to drive Sensory input not essential to drive movement but important function in movement but important function in modulating it.modulating it.

****Try for yourself (signature) demo.Try for yourself (signature) demo. LimitationsLimitations

Dynamical Systems theoryDynamical Systems theory

Bernstein-characteristics of acting Bernstein-characteristics of acting systems, external and internal forces.systems, external and internal forces.

Distributed model of motor control-no Distributed model of motor control-no need for higher center of control.need for higher center of control.

Interaction of elements, physical and Interaction of elements, physical and neural components.neural components.

LimitationsLimitations

Parallel distributed processing Parallel distributed processing theory.theory.

NS processes information in serial NS processes information in serial and parallel.and parallel.

LimitationsLimitations

Task oriented theoriesTask oriented theories

Control of movement is organized Control of movement is organized around goal-directed functional around goal-directed functional behaviors such as walking or talking.behaviors such as walking or talking.

LimitationsLimitations

Ecological theory.Ecological theory.

How do we detect information in our How do we detect information in our environment that is important to our environment that is important to our actions?actions?

LimitationsLimitations