Feedback control during voluntary motor actions

Stephen H Scott; Tyler Cluff; Catherine R Lowrey; Tomohiko Takei

doi:10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.006

Feedback control during voluntary motor actions

Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2015 Aug:33:85-94. doi: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.006. Epub 2015 Mar 28.

Authors

Stephen H Scott¹, Tyler Cluff², Catherine R Lowrey², Tomohiko Takei²

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada; Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. Electronic address: steve.scott@queensu.ca.
² Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.

PMID: 25827274
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.03.006

Abstract

Humans possess an impressive ability to generate goal-oriented motor actions to move and interact with the environment. The planning and initiation of these body movements is supported by highly distributed cortical and subcortical circuits. Recent studies, inspired by advanced control theory, highlight similar sophistication when we make online corrections to counter small disturbances of the limb or altered visual feedback. Such goal-directed feedback is likely generated by the same neural circuits associated with motor planning and initiation. These common neural substrates afford a highly responsive system to maintain goal-directed control and rapidly select new motor actions as required to deftly move and interact in a complex world.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Extremities / physiology
Feedback, Sensory / physiology*
Goals
Humans
Motor Neurons / physiology
Movement / physiology*
Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
Neural Pathways / physiology