Cognitive psychology I

MOTOR BEHAVIOUR, SPATIAL ORIENTATION, SENSORIMOTOR

INTEGRATION

ALEXANDER LOGEMANN
Program
 Erratum (oops) reg. my previous class
 A glimpse of sensorimotor integration
 Formal overview of sensorimotor integration
 Is rather complicated, but we deal with it step by step
 Visual sensory systems (continued)
 The main streams (Parvocellular / Magnocellular systems)
 Motor systems
 (Action) planning, and from planning to action and control.
 Model
 Brain mechanism
 Quiz (not graded)
Erratum

 Did you notice the error?

Mark H. Johnson, & Michelle de Haan. (2015). Developmental
Cognitive Neuroscience. Wiley-Blackwell.
 Magnocellular

Parvocellular

http://sciencewise.anu.edu.au/articles/dyslexia
Sensorimotor integration
Time for a demo.

 Ready?
Keep looking at the
eye, what can you
see?
Wow, what just
happened?
Output from Auditory cortex
Sensorimotor integration

 Perception and action are strongly linked

 We quickly reflexively orient ourselves to relevant stimuli
 We use information of the senses to guide action (discussed in the planning and control
model from Glover et al.)
 Sensory systems are tightly integrated with motor systems
 An example which requires optimal sensorimotor integration
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0JKCYZ8hng

 But how? What is the brain mechanism that support perception and action?
 (Glover, S. (2004). Separate visual
representations in the planning and control
of action. Behavioral and Brain Sciences,
27, 3–78)
Important sensory systems for processing visual information

From Gazzaniga, Ivry, and Mangun

Mark H. Johnson, & Michelle de Haan. (2015). Developmental (2009). Copyright © 1998 by W.W.
Norton
Cognitive Neuroscience. Wiley-Blackwell.
Important sensory systems for processing visual information

 Subcortical mechanisms [fast/reflexive/unconscious]

 Eyes  Superior colliculus (SC, you noticed that)
 Cortical mechanisms [drives conscious percept, slow system]
 What / parvocellular / ventral pathway
 Eyes  Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)  V1 and higher order systems in occipital
cortex  Temporal cortex  Motor systems and Frontal cortex
 Where / magnocellular / dorsal pathway
 Eyes  Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN)  lower level systems in occipital cortex 
Middle temporal cortex  Parietal cortex  Motor systems
 Parietal cortex is crucial for processing spatial information
 Temporal cortex is important in the identification of stimuli

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIp8kZPoBw
Detection of motion
 Do we need experience?
 Babies can detect biological motion,
without prior experience.
 Do systems for detecting biological
motion differ from those detecting
general object motion?

Saygin, A.P. (2007). Superior temporal

and
premotor brain areas necessary for
Mirror neurons

 Premotor cortex, superior temporal sulcus

 What does it do?
 Active when performing action and when looking an action with specific intention
 Conditional..
 But why?
 Potentially to assist in understanding the intentions that drive the actions
And now the ”action” part
Motor systems

 Subcortical structures
 Anyone?
 Basal ganglia
 Anyone?
 Caudate
 Putamen
 Globus palidus
 Subthalamic nucleus
 Substantia Nigra
Kandel, Eric. “Principles of Neural Science, Fifth Edition
(Principles of Neural Science (Kandel))”
Motor systems

 Cortical structures
 Anyone?
 Primary Motor Cortex
 Supplementary Motor Area
 Premotor Cortex
 Cerebellum
 Cortical structures
 Primary Motor Cortex
 Supplementary Motor Area
 Premotor Cortex
 Cerebellum

Kandel, Eric. “Principles of Neural Science, Fifth Edition

(Principles of Neural Science (Kandel))”
Premotor cortex & Supplementary motor
area
 Function?
 Coordination of motor activity
Cerebellum

 Functions?
 Diverse
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVlFq1WZZaY
 Complex coordination of several muscle groups within short time span making feedback
(to adjust movement) impossible. (ballistic movement)
 Balance and posture
 Motor learning
 Procedural learning

Cerebellum(red). Polygon data are from BodyParts3D maintained by Database Center

for Life Science(DBCLS).
Primary motor cortex

Kandel, Eric. “Principles of Neural Science, Fifth Edition

(Principles of Neural Science (Kandel))”
 Parietal cortex
Kandel, Eric. “Principles of Neural Science, Fifth Edition
(Principles of Neural Science (Kandel))”

 Somatosensory cortex
 Important for?
 Proprioceptive feedback
 Monitoring/adjusting movement.
Planning for action

 Which brain region would be important in planning of an action in line with i.e.
task goals?
 The prefrontal cortex
A (simplified) integrated account
 The planning and control model (Glover et al.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTlFk-chSh4
Planning and control

 Planning system
 It is used mostly before the initiation of movement.
 It selects an appropriate target, timing estimated
 It is influenced by many factors (goals, target characteristics, the visual context,
cognitive processes.)
 Slow system, uses many cognitive resources, conscious process
Planning and control

 Control system
 Active during movement
 Monitoring, makes sure that movement is accurate
 Affected by spatial characteristics of the target-stimulus
 Fast process
Planning and control,
mechanism
 Planning:
 Prefrontal Cortex
 Motor areas:
 Premotor cortex, Basal Ganglia, Cerebellum
 (and Inferior Parietal Lobe)
 Inferior Parietal Lobe (integration from interconnected regions)
 Integration/interpretation of visuospatial information for action plans
 Inferior Temporal Lobe
 Control:
 Motor areas:
 Primary motor cortex (MI)
 Cerebellum
 Basal Ganglia
 Superior Parietal Lobe
Time for a quiz!