Brain

Mechanism of
Movements
CHAPTER 7: MOVEMENT
Gustav Fritsch and Eduard Hitzig (1870)
neuroscientists have known that direct electrical stimulation of the primary motor
cortex—the precentral gyrus of the frontal cortex, just anterior to the central sulcus
elicits movements.
The motor cortex does not send messages directly to the muscles.
CEREBRAL CORTEX
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The primary motor cortex is also active when you imagine movements, remember movements, or
understand verbs related to movements.
The somatosensory cortex feel which parts of the body, and which areas of the motor cortex control
muscles in which parts of the body.

MOTOR CORTEX
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The motor cortex is just anterior to the somatosensory cortex, and the two match up nicely.
Planning a Movement
POSTERIOR PARIETAL CORTEX
People with posterior parietal damage have trouble finding objects in space, even after describing their
appearance accurately. When walking, they frequently bump into obstacles (Goodale, 1996; Goodale, Milner,
Jakobson, & Carey, 1991).
When they stimulate parts of the posterior parietal cortex, people frequently report an intention to move—
such as an intention to move the left hand.
people see a first signal that tells them what they are supposed to do, and then they have to wait a few
seconds for a second signal that says to make the movement now. Or people see a first signal with partial
information about what they will or will not have to do, and then after a short delay a second signal that tells
them more precisely what to do. In each of these cases, the posterior parietal cortex is active throughout the
delay, evidently preparing for the movement

PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY MOTOR CORTEX

The prefrontal cortex and the supplementary motor cortex are also important for planning and
organizing a rapid sequence of movements.
The supplementary motor cortex is essential for inhibiting that habit when you need to do something else
PREMOTOR CORTEX
The premotor cortex is most active immediately before a movement. It receives
information about the target to which the body is directing its movement, as
well as information about the body’s current position and posture

PREFRONTAL CORTEX
The prefrontal cortex, which is also active during a delay before a movement,
stores sensory information relevant to a movement. It is also important for
considering the probable outcomes of possible movements.
If you had damage to this area, many of your movements would be disorganized,
such as showering with your clothes on or pouring water on the tube of toothpaste
instead of the toothbrush.
This area is inactive during dreams,;
If you do something absent minded first thing in the morning, it may be that your
prefrontal cortex is not fully awake.
Inhibiting a Movement
ANTISACCADE TASK
A saccade is a voluntary eye movement from one
target to another.
Before age 5 to 7 years, most children find it almost
impossible to ignore the wiggling finger and look the
other way. Ability to perform this task gradually
improves as the prefrontal cortex slowly matures,
reaching peak levels in young adulthood
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