All articles tagged with #motor control
3D motion capture shows no innate arm dominance during plain reaching or with added wrist weight; a lightweight stick strapped to the forearm reveals a dominant-hand gap, while writing with elbows eliminates it—demonstrating that handedness arises from lifelong tool-use practice and can be reshaped through targeted training, challenging the idea of fixed, biology-driven dominance.
Researchers produced the first complete brain-to-body wiring map (connectome) for an adult fruit fly, revealing that many movements arise from local neural circuits in the brain and nerve cord rather than a single brain controller. The 3D map links brain and body connections, is openly accessible, and will enable new hypotheses in neuroscience and insights for AI—with the work published in Nature and expanding plans to add neuropeptide data.
A study of 11 astronauts (2 women, 9 men) over at least five months on the ISS found that the brain retains a gravity imprint that shapes how they grip and move objects in microgravity; on Earth, they tend to grip more firmly than needed and mispredict object mass, but movements quickly re-adapt after return. The research, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, highlights gradual neural reprogramming as the brain recalibrates to Earth's gravity, with some astronauts noting objects feel heavier even after re-entry.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that running and other complex movements distort time perception primarily due to cognitive effort involved in controlling movement, rather than physical exertion, as evidenced by similar time overestimations during running, backward walking, and dual tasks regardless of heart rate differences.
A 65-year-old woman with Parkinson's in England played her clarinet during brain surgery under local anesthesia, demonstrating improved motor control after deep-brain stimulation, and expressed delight with her progress.
A study confirmed that pianists can alter piano timbre mid-performance through precise touch and key movements, with potential applications in music education, therapy, and technology, by scientifically linking subtle motor skills to perceptual sound differences.
Researchers discovered that nerve cells sensing limb motion in fruit flies are turned off during movement, allowing the brain to switch between stabilizing posture and enabling dynamic action. This neural circuit, involving interneurons, helps balance stability and movement, with potential implications for treating human motor disorders and injury recovery.
Despite being long believed to primarily control movement, the cerebellum, containing three-quarters of the brain's neurons, is now suspected to regulate complex behaviors, social interactions, aggression, working memory, learning, and emotion. Recent research and clinical studies have revealed cognitive and emotional deficits in patients with cerebellar damage, challenging the traditional view of its function and prompting neuroscientists to explore its newly discovered roles beyond motor control.
A new study published in Human Brain Mapping suggests that regular cannabis users may require more brain activity to perform simple motor tasks, despite performing equally well as nonusers. The study used magnetoencephalography to compare neural oscillations in regular cannabis users and nonusers while they performed a motor sequencing task, finding stronger beta frequency band oscillations in the cannabis users during the execution phase of the task. The researchers speculate that these stronger neural oscillations may reflect a compensatory mechanism to maintain normal motor performance despite potential impairments caused by cannabis, but caution that these differences in brain activity may be precursors of future behavioral deficits.
Biologists at the University of Tokyo conducted a study using roundworms to understand how animals integrate sensory information and motor control, shedding light on the complex process that even the simplest animals can perform effortlessly, which humans struggle to replicate. This research could have implications for the development of self-driving cars and other technologies that require seamless integration of sensory data for autonomous movement.
Researchers have discovered key mechanisms in the brain that control movement initiation, particularly in the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). By utilizing the transparency of zebrafish larvae brains, the study mapped the neuronal circuits responsible for triggering forward motion. The stimulation intensity of the MLR was found to correlate with the vigor of movement in zebrafish, offering potential insights into gait transitions in various animals. This discovery has significant implications for understanding motor deficiencies, such as those seen in Parkinson's disease patients.
Intensive exercise has been found to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease by influencing brain plasticity, according to a new study. The research reveals a novel mechanism where exercise, when initiated in the early stages of the disease, induces lasting beneficial effects on motor control, even after discontinuing training. Intensive physical activity reduces the spread of pathological alpha-synuclein aggregates, a key contributor to neuron dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. The study highlights the role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a growth factor whose production is boosted by exercise, in improving neuronal response to stimuli. This research could lead to non-pharmacological treatment approaches for Parkinson's disease.
New research suggests that redefining fatigue, and understanding how a brain region known as the cerebellum processes fatigue, may hold clues for better treatment. The study shows that performance fatigue, also known as “fatigability” — an objective measurement of a person’s ability to do a physical or cognitive task — can be different from the perception of fatigue — a person’s subjective assessment of the fatigue they feel. Using more specific language — fatigability vs. perception of fatigue — to describe experiences of fatigue can be helpful in devising treatments.