The Sensorimotor System

Question 1

What does Principle 3 of the Sensorimotor System state?

Answer 1

Learning changes the nature of motor outputs.

Question 2

What is the Sensorimotor System Associated with?

Answer 2

Movement production

Question 3

What Principle does Rothwell et al. (1982) refer to? Explain his study.

Answer 3

• Patient lost all sensation in thier limbs, but had no problem with motor movements.
• Struggled to pick up objects, as they had no sensations to guide their actions (how much pressure to apply to an object)

Question 3

What does Principle 2 of the Sensorimotor System state?

Answer 3

Motor outputs are guided by sensory inputs.

Question 4

What does a heirarchal organisation mean in the sensorimotor system?

Answer 4

Association areas of the brain plan movements, whilst lower levels execute movements.
This heirarchy becomes more intricate as the system progresses further towards association areas.

Question 5

What does functional segregation mean?

Answer 5

Each level is divided into sub-levels, which hold different functions.

Question 6

What does a parallel structure mean in the sensorimotor system?

Answer 6

• Signals can flow through multiple pathways
• Provides robustness against damage.

Question 7

How many princples are there in the Sensorimotor system?

Answer 7

3

Question 8

List the 3 catagories in Principle 1 in the sensorimotor system.

Answer 8

• Heirarchal organisation.
• Functional segregation.
• Parallel structure.

Question 9

List the two areas within the Association Area of the Sensorimotor system.

Answer 9

Posterior Parietal Association Cortex (PPC) and Dorsalateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPC)

Question 10

What is the function of the Posterior Parietal Association Cortex (PPC)?

Answer 10

• Provides information about spatial information.
• Intergrates body part information with external objects.
• Outputs information to the DLPC and Secondary Motor Cortex

Question 11

What is the function of the Dorsalateral Prefrontal Cortex?

Answer 11

• Sets goals of motor outputs.
• Sends information to the PPC and the Secondary Motor Cortex.
• Damage leads to the inability to excert voluntary movement.

Question 12

What are the functions of the Secondary Motor Cortex?

Answer 12

• Puts the plan from the Dorsalateral Prefrontal Cortex into action.
• Coordinates movement sequences to project to the Primary Motor Cortex.

Question 13

Which study illustrates the functions of the Secondary Motor Cortex?

Answer 13

Brinkman et al. (1984)

Question 14

Describe Brinkman et al. (1984) study.

Answer 14

Monkey Study.
- Lesioned SMC could not retrieve a food pallet coordinating their two index fingers.
- Shows how the SMC puts a plan into an action.

Question 15

What is the function of the Primary Motor Cortex?

Answer 15

Tells muscles how to produce a movement.

Question 16

What does Somatotopic Organisation mean?

Answer 16

Stimulation to different areas along a particular brain structure will instruct body parts to contract/ relax to execute a movement.

Question 17

Where is the Primary Motor Cortex located?

Answer 17

Along the Precenteral Gyrus

Question 18

What is the function of the Cerebellum?

Answer 18

Recieves information from sensory systems, and uses the information to fine tune movements.

Question 19

What percentage of neurons does the Cerebellum hold?

Answer 19

50%

Question 20

What holds the two hemispheres of the Cerebellum together?

Answer 20

The Vermis

Question 21

What part of the brain is the cerebellum located?

Answer 21

The hindbrain. The most posterior part of the brain.

Question 22

What study illustrates functions of the cerebellum?

Answer 22

Park et al. (2012)

Question 23

Describe the study which illustrates the functions of the cerebellum.

Answer 23

Park et al. (2009;2012)
- Studied tennis players and hockey players.
- Both sports require precise movement strategy.
- Measured the cerebellular volume of each participant.
- Cerebellum was enlarged in all athletes.

Question 24

List 1 limitation of Park et al. (2009; 2012) study.

Answer 24

• It relies on correlational evidence
• You cannot infer a cause and effect.
• Possiblility that people with larger cerebellular mass partake in sport.

Question 25

What is the characteristics of the basal ganglia?

Answer 25

• Role in movement coordination
• Role in habit learning, for it to become automatic.
• Role in voluntary movements
• Loops with cortical structures

Question 26

Where is the basal ganglia found?

Answer 26

In the Forebrain

Question 27

Name two disorders of movement.

Answer 27

Parkinsons disease, and Huntingtons disease.

Question 28

With reference to brain structures, how do symptoms of Parkinsons disease arise?

Answer 28

• The Substantia Nigra (SN) starts to deteriorate.
• The SN loops with the basal ganglia, subsequently affecting this cortical area.
• Movement coordination connections deteriorate.

Question 29

What are symptoms of Parkinsons disease?

Answer 29

Slow movements, difficultly in initiating movement, muscle tremors.

Question 30

With reference to brain structures, how do symptoms of Huntington’s disease arise?

Answer 30

Damage/ degeneration of neuronal activity to the basal ganglia.

Question 31

What are the symptoms of Huntingtons disease?

Answer 31

Symptoms of involuntary movements (jerks and twitches)