Chapter 7

The studies assume that people accurately report the times of their intentions. However, people's reports are influenced by events after the movement, and therefore we cannot be confident of their accuracy.

On what basis are some researchers skeptical of this evidence?

Researchers recorded responses in people's cortex that predicts the upcoming response. Those brain responses occurred earlier than the time people reported as "when they made the decisions".

Explain the evidence that someone's conscious decision to move does not cause the movement?

The parallel fibres are parallel to one another and perpendicular to the planes of the Purkingje cells.

How are the parallel fibres arranged relative to one another and to the Purkinje cells?

The posterior parietal cortex is important for perceiving the location of objects and the position of the body relative to the environment. It is also active for planning of a movement. The premotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex are also active in preparing a movement shortly before it occurs. The supplementary motor cortex inhibits a habitual action when it is inappropriate. The prefrontal cortex stores sensory information relevant to a movement and considers possible outcomes of the movement.

How does the posterior parietal cortex contribute to movement? The motor cortex? The supplementary motor cortex? The prefrontal cortex?

As a large per number of parallel fibres become active, the Purkinje cells increase their duration of response.

If a larger number of parallel fibres are active, what is the effect on the collective output of the Purkinje cells?

The basal ganglia have more influences on self initiated movements, which are generally slower.

In general, do the basal ganglia have more effect on responses to a stimulus or on self-initiated movements ?

The motor cortex represents muscular control of body areas in close alignment to the way the somatosensory cortex , just posterior to the motor cortex, represents sensations from those areas.

In what way does the brain anatomy facilitate communication between body sensations and body movements?

Activity in the motor cortex leads to a particular outcome, such as movement of the mouth, regardless of what muscle contractions are necessary given the hands current location.

What evidence indicates the cortical activity represents the "idea" of the movement not just the muscles contractions.

The basal ganglia are essential for learning motor habits that are difficult to describe in words.

What kind of learning depends most heavily on the basal ganglia?

Damage to the cerebellum impairs perceptual tasks that depend on accurate timing.

What kind of perceptual task would be most impaired by damage to the cerebellum?

The lateral tract controls detailed movements in the periphery on the contralateral side of the body. (For example, the lateral tract from the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body.) the medial tract controls trunk movements bilaterally.

What kinds of movements does that lateral tract control? The medial tract?

These neurons must have acquired these properties through experience. That is, they did not enable pianists to copy what they hear; they developed after pianists learned to copy what they hear.

When expert pianists listen to familiar, well practiced music, they imagine the finger movements, and the finger area of their motor cortex becomes active, even if they are not moving their fingers. If we regard those neurons as another kind of mirror neuron, what do these results imply about the origin of mirror neurons?

The basal ganglia control the vigorous of movement.

Which aspect of movement do the basal ganglia control?