Brain Mechanisms

of Movement
Lesson 21

Hierarchical Control of Movement

Association cortices & Basal Ganglia
strategy : goals & planning
based on integration of sensory info
Motor cortex & cerebellum
tactics: activation of motor programs
Spinal cord
execution: activation of alpha motor
neurons ~

Cortical Control of Movement

M1 - Precentral Gyrus
Frontal Lobe
somatotopic organization
M2 - Secondary Motor Cortex
SMC - Supplementary Motor Cortex
PM - Premotor Cortex
Somatosensory cortex
S1 - postcentral gyrus
PPC - Posterior Parietal Cortex ~

SMA
M1
S1
PM

PPC

Sensorimotor Integration
Somatosensory cortex
provides spatial coordinates
Motor Cortex
executes movements
Results in meaningful behavior ~

Motor Association Cortex (M2)

Premotor & Supplemental Motor Cortex
input from S1 & PPC
output to M1
Active during preparation for movement
Planning of movements
Stimulation - complex movements
motor programs ~

Brain to Spinal Cord

Upper motor neurons
communication with lower () motor
neurons
Dorsolateral pathway
distal limbs
Ventromedial pathway
trunk, neck & proximal limbs ~

The Dorsolateral Pathway

Voluntary movement
contralateral control
distal limbs
Corticospinal tract
M1 spinal cord
about 1 million axons
Rubrospinal tract
M1 red nucleus spinal cord ~

Descending Motor Pathways

Dorsal
Dorsolateral
tract

Ventral
Ventromedial
tract

Subcortical Motor Systems:

Cerebellum & Basal Ganglia
Caudate

Putamen

Cerebellum

Subcortical Motor Loops

Parallel processing
Cortex Subcortex Cortex
Spinal cord
Cerebellum
coordination of movement
Basal Ganglia
selection & initiation of voluntary
movements ~

Cerebellum
Coordination of complex movements
Programs ballistic movements
no feedback during execution
direction, force, & timing
Motor learning
shift from conscious unconscious
Long-term depression (LTD)
inhibits incorrect movements ~

Cerebellum: Damage
Lesions - loss of motor coordination
Dysynergia
no simultaneous movement of joints

serial movement only

Dysmetric movements
to wrong coordinates
Alcohol intoxication
depression of cerebellar circuits ~

Basal Ganglia

Caudate nucleus

Striatum

Putamen
Globus Pallidus
Substantia Nigra
Tegmentum
Control slow movements
Using immediate sensory feedback ~

Parkinsons Disease
1% of population
Nigrostriatal pathway
Substantia nigra neurons die
Progressive loss
Hypokinesia
Rigidity
Bradykinesia
Akinesia ~

Parkinsons Disease
Motor Cortex

+
Striatum
DA

+
Substantia
Nigra

Parkinsons Disease: Treatment

Basal Ganglia - Cholinergic
Substantia Nigra - Dopaminergic
Drug Therapy
L-DOPA
Pallidectomy
Tissue transplants ~

Huntingtons Disease (Chorea)

Rare genetic disorder
Single dominant gene on
chromosome 4
onset 30-40s
Symptoms
Uncontrollable, jerky movements
dementia
Progressive ~

Huntingtons Disease (Chorea)

Degeneration of Striatum
Caudate & Putamen
GABA & ACh neurons
Loss of inhibition
over-stimulation of motor cortex ~