Week

7
Neuroscience Notes
Motor Processing

Motor Processing Hierarchy - The Levels of Motor Control:
- 1. Ready (Strategy) – Deciding ‘What to do’:
o Prefrontal Cortex
o Somatosensory Association Cortex (5 & 7)
o Basal Ganglia (NB: Basal Ganglia are
the interface between ‘Strategy’ &
‘Tactics’.)
- 2. Set (Tactics) – Deciding ‘How to do it’:
o Basal Ganglia
o Pre-Motor Area (PMA)
o Supplementary Motor Area (SMA)
- 3. Go (Execution) – ‘Action’:
o Primary Motor Cortex (M1)
o Cerebellum
o Brainstem
o Descending Tracts
o Spinal Nerves
o Peripheral Motor Neurons

Brain Regions involved in Voluntary Motor Movement:
- Cortical Regions:
o Pre-Frontal Cortex (Frontal Lobe)
o Somatosensory Association Areas (Parietal Lobe)
o Pre-Motor Area (Frontal Lobe)
o Supplementary-Motor Area (Frontal Lobe)
o Primary Motor Cortex (M1) (Frontal Lobe)
§ Broca’s Area (Frontal Lobe)
- Sub-Cortical Regions:
o Basal Ganglia
o Cerebellum

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Roles of these Brain Regions (In Motor Processing):
- Pre-Frontal Cortex:
o Consciously Decides ‘what movement’ is required for the desired outcome. (Managerial Function)

- Somatosensory Association Areas:
o Tells the brain where the body is in space (Proprioception)

- Pre-Motor Area & Supplementary-Motor Areas:
o Plans ‘how to do the movement’.
o Is also the memory bank of Complex, Patterned & Highly Skilled Learned Movements.

- Primary Motor Cortex (M1):
o ‘Initiates the movement’ (Typically precise or skilled voluntary movement)
o NB: M1 also exhibits Somatotopy – The Bigger the Cortical Area, The More Precise the Movements
o Receives Direct & Indirect Inputs:
§ Direct – From: Prefrontal Cortex, SMA/PMA, Somatosensory Areas
§ Indirect – From: Cerebellum (Via Thalamus)
o Broca’s Area – Area of M1 that controls the Muscles responsible for speech (Tongue/Jaw/Lips/Face)

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- Basal Ganglia:
o Involved in Action-Selection & Initiation of Voluntary & Patterned Movements (Eg. Walking)
§ Motor Control & Motor Learning
• NB: Also has a role in Cognition & Memory
o A Loop Exists between the Cortex à Basal Ganglia à Thalamus à Pre-Motor Cortex à Cortex
§ Receives inputs from the Entire Cortex. (SMA/Prefrontal Cortex/Sensory Cortex/M1)
• Info travels through Basal Ganglia in This Order: StriatumàGlobus Pallidus.
§ Sends info to the PMA & *SMA via the (Ventro-Lateral Nucleus of the) Thalamus (VLo)

NB: The GLOBUS PALLIDUS is Spontaneously Active:
Globus Pallidus à Thalamus (Inhibits Thalamic-SMA Activity à Keeps the SMA ‘Quiet’)

o Consists of:
§ Striatum:
• Caudate Nucleus: Cognition & Behaviour
• Putamen: Motor (Automatic performance of previously learned movements.)
§ Globus Pallidus
o & Other Associated Structures:
§ Subthalamic Nuclei
§ Substantia Nigra: Eye Movement, Motor Planning, (Reward Seeking, Learning, & Addiction)

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 - Cerebellum:
o A Loop exists between the Cortex à Pons à Cerebellum à Thalamus à M1 à Cortex.
§ Receives inputs from the Cerebral Cortex (M1, PMA, *Somatosensory Areas) via the Pons.
• Also receives Proprioceptive Feedback
§ Sends info to the Primary Motor Cortex (M1) via the VentroLateral Nucleus of the Thalamus.
• Informs Primary Motor Cortex (M1) about Direction, Force & Timing of Movements.

o Functions:
§ Precise Timing & Appropriate Patterns of Skeletal Muscle Contraction – Required for Smooth,
Coordinated movements & agility needed for daily living (Driving/Typing/Playing Music/etc)
§ Involved in the Correct Sequencing & Coordination of Muscle Contractions.
§ Involved in Motor Learning – Compares intention with result & corrects for next time.
§ Balance & Posture
o NB: Cerebellar Activity is Subconscious (Ie. We have no awareness of its functioning.)
o Output into Descending Pathways:
§ Vermis à Ventromedial Pathways
§ Hemispheres à Lateral Pathways

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 o Cerebellar Processing:
§ 1. Cortical Motor Areas Notify the Cerebellum (via ‘relay nuclei’ in the brainstem) of their
intent to initiate voluntary muscle contractions.
§ 2. Constant Proprioceptive Input (Muscle/Tendon Tension, Joint Position, etc) enables the
cerebellum to evaluate the body’s position & momentum.
§ 3. Cerebellum calculates optimum Force, Direction & Extent of Muscle Contraction to ensure
Smooth, Accurate & Coordinated Movements.
§ 4. Cerebellum sends its “Blueprint” for coordinating movement to the Cerebral Motor Cortex
via the Superior Peduncles. It also sends info to Brainstem Nuclei à Influences Motor
Neurons of the Spinal Cord.
o Analogy:
§ Just as an ‘Autopilot’ compares a plane’s instruments with its planned course, the
Cerebellum continually compares the higher brain’s intention with the body’s performance
& makes appropriate corrections.

NB: The Cerebellar Peduncles

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Descending Tracts Involved in Motor Function:
- Descending Motor Pathways:
o Lateral Pathways:
§ 2 Divisions:
• #1 Corticospinal Tract:
• Rubrospinal Tract:
§ Roles:
• Both Tracts – Voluntary Movement of Distal Extremities (Particularly Hands & Feet)
§ Corticospinal Tract Receives Input From:
• Primary Motor Cortex (M1) – The Main Origin
• Pre-Motor Area
• Supplementary Motor Area
• Somatosensory Areas
§ Rubrospinal Tract Receives Input From:
• Primary Motor Area (M1)
• Pre-Motor Area
• Supplementary Motor Area
• Cerebellum
§ Efferent Pathway of Upper Motor Neurons:
• Corticospinal Tract:
o Originates in Primary Motor Cortex
o Run through the Internal Capsule to the Brainstem.
o Decussate in Medullary Pyramids (Medulla)
• Rubrospinal Tract:
o Originates in Red Nucleus of Midbrain.
o Decussate immediately below Red Nucleus (In the Pons)
àà
o Continue down the spinal cord in the Lateral White Matter.
o Terminate in Ventral Horn of Spinal Grey Matter

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o Ventromedial (Indirect/Extrapyramidal) Pathways:
§ 4 Divisions:
• Tectospinal (AKA: Colliculospinal) Tract
• Vestibulospinal Tract
• Pontine Reticulospinal Tract
• Medullary Reticulospinal Tract
§ General Roles – Reflexively Maintains:
• Head & Eye Coordination (“Visual Tracking”)
• Balance
• Muscle Tone Ie. Proximal & Axial Muscle Groups (Trunk/Hip/Neck/Back/etc)
• Body Posture
§ Specific Functions:
• Tectospinal/Colliculospinal: Visual Tracking (Head/Eye Coordination)
• Vestibulospinal: Maintain Balance During Standing & Moving
• Pontine Reticulospinal: Maintains Muscle Tone & Visceral Motor Functions
• Medullary Reticulospinal: Maintains Muscle Tone & Visceral Motor Functions
§ Origins:
• Tectospinal/Colliculospinal: Superior Colliculus of Midbrain (in Brain Stem)
• Vestibulospinal: Vestibular Nuclei in Medulla (in Brain Stem)
• Pontine Reticulospinal: Pontine part of Reticular Formation of Brainstem
• Medullary Reticulospinal: Medullary part of Reticular Formation of Brainstem
§ All Divisions Receive Some Input From:
• The Corticospinal (Pyramidal) Pathways – Project into & Influence the Activity of
these Brainstem Motor Nuclei (From which these tracts originate)

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- NB: These Descending ‘Upper Motor Neurons’ Terminate in the Ventral Grey Horns of the Spinal Cord Grey
Matter by Synapsing with either:
o Spinal Interneurons – Enabling info to be sent to multiple outputs.
§ Some Interneurons are ‘Central Pattern Generators’ à generate timing for patterned
movements (Eg. Walking)
o Or Lower Motor Neurons – That directly innervate skeletal muscle.

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Marieb’s Version of Descending Motor Pathways & Spinal Cord Tracts:

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