Biological MS

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Motor cortex

  • in rear portion of frontal lobe, just before central sulcus that separates frontal lobe from parietal lobe 
  • Hitzig & Fritsch (1970)
  • > electronically stimulated various parts of dogs' motor cortex
  • > depending on which cortex part was stimulated, different parts of the body contracted
  • > plasticity in motor cortex, as one learns a complex movement, motor cortex changes 

Descending spinal tracts

  • motor pathways which originate in brain descend down the spinal cord to control motor neurons 
  • these large neurons then send their axons out via spinal roots and directly control muscles

Where does automation occur?

  • experts have reduced activation in cortical regions (behaviour becomes automated)
  • before it can carry out movement your motor cortex must first receive relevant info from other brain regions
  • basal ganglia may be site of storage of motor programs

Basal ganglia 

  • collective term for number of structures
  • > caudate nucleus
  • > putamen
  • > globus…

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