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Brain and Behavior - Motor Behavior and Intentional Action

9 important questions on Brain and Behavior - Motor Behavior and Intentional Action

How does our brain generate motor behavior?

Physical action, also called motor behavior, is the output side of the input/output system of the brain. Sensation/perception is our input and action is our output. Our physical behavior ranges from simple reflexive movements up to intentional, planned, and complex movements.

How does the brain process involuntary movements?

Different tracts of neurons are involved with voluntary and involuntary movements. Involuntary movements are processed largely through a group of brain cells known as extrapyramidal neurons.

They connect input from the cerebellum and the inner ear to the brain stem. The first two areas process information about coordination and balance. The brain stem sends this information to motor neurons in the spinal cord, which connect directly to the muscles involved.

Thus, information related to involuntary movement does not go through the cortex and generally travels in a relatively simple, closed circuit.

How does psychiatric medication affect extrapyramidal neurons?

Antipsychotic medication can disrupt the function of extrapyramidal neurons. This can result in disfiguring side effects, such as tardive dyskinesia, a syndrome characterized by tremors in the extremities and facial muscles.

The atypical antipsychotics, a new class of medication, have now become popular because they produce fewer extrapyramidal side effects (restlessness, tremor, and muscular stiffness).

Does information only move in one direction?

It is important to understand that the brain is continuously giving and receiving feedback. Information is always moving up and down the system and modifying both input and output.

For the sake of simplicity, our sensory and motor systems are presented here as if they act in isolation. In reality, though, the brain is a giant web of interacting systems giving itself constant feedback.

What role does the cerebellum play?

The cerebellum, wich is Latin for 'little brain', is the large, bulbous structure located below the back of the cortex.

With rich connections to both the frontal lobe and the brain stem, it is integrally involved in motor control. The cerebellum mediates motor coordination, posture, and the smooth flow of movement.

Damage to the cerebellum results in jerky, uncoordinated movements and problems with balance. More recent research has revealed that the cerebellum is involved with a range of cognitive functions as well.

Is imagined movement different than actual movement?

Surprisingly, the brain processes observed movement and imagined movement in much the same way it processes actual movement. Brain imaging studies have shown that the same areas of the motor cortex are activated when people witness an action in another person, imagine performing the same action themselves, or actually perform the action themselves.

Does the brain process complex behavior differently than simple behavior?

The frontal lobe is not the only source of complex goal-oriented movement. As discussed above, the frontal lobe is a recent evolutionary achievement and is most fully developed in humans. Prior to the evolution of the frontal lobe, however, animals needed some way to perform goal-oriented behaviors.

In most animals, these behaviors were patterned into fairly fixed packets of behaviors that would be released rather automatically in the face of the appropriate stimulus. The part of the brain associated with these pre-set behavioral packets is known as the basal ganglia.

What are fixed action patterns and what do they tell us about our 'animal instincts'?

A fixed action pattern is a genetically-coded behavioral sequence that is triggered by specific stimuli.

Fixed action patterns are analogous to animal 'instincts' and are mediated by the basal ganglia. The behavior is fixed and relatively unmodifiable. There is very little goal correction; the behavior is a set response to a set stimulus.

What examples of fixed action patterns do we see in animals?

For example, cats smell their urine and start digging in cat litter to bury their waste. They rarely check the results of their efforts to see if they have met their goal; they simply respond in a preprogrammed way to a set stimulus, in this case the smell of their urine or feces.

Grooming behavior in multiple animals provides additional examples of fixed action patterns. Brids preen themselves, cats lick themselves, and dogs shake themselves when wet. Additional examples include gnawing behavior in pigs and horses whinnying and shaking their heads.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

The Handy Psychology Answer Book | 9781578593545 | Lisa J Cohen

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Brain and Behavior - Motor Behavior and Intentional Action

9 important questions on Brain and Behavior - Motor Behavior and Intentional Action

How does our brain generate motor behavior?

How does the brain process involuntary movements?

How does psychiatric medication affect extrapyramidal neurons?

Does information only move in one direction?

What role does the cerebellum play?

Is imagined movement different than actual movement?

Does the brain process complex behavior differently than simple behavior?

What are fixed action patterns and what do they tell us about our 'animal instincts'?

What examples of fixed action patterns do we see in animals?

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