PSY 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Central Pattern Generator, Motor Control, Motor Learning

• School: Stony Brook University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 250
• Professor: Hoi- Chung Leung

Document Summary

Objective: be able to describe the various components of the descending neural pathways (from brain to spinal cord) and their functions in controlling and coordinating sequences of movements. Lecture outline: categories of movements and basic concepts. A common misconception is that sensorimotor control is just about muscle control. However, movement is not just about connections between a stimulus and muscle contraction. Movement relies on the overall plan and constant sensory feedback. Motor control is highly adaptive and proactive: categories of movements and basic concepts. Purposeful, goal directed, learned (swallowing, rising hand) Combined features of voluntary and reflex acts (involuntary) (associated with the central pattern generator) Rhythmic motor patterns (involves repeating patterns of movement) Three basic concepts of motor control: (1) fine motor control requires internal feedback (need to recognize the importance of proprioception in motor control!) (2) multiple levels of control (3) motor learning and motor programs.