The human brain in action: Coordination among neural systems for planning and adapting movements
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Authors
Gale, Daniel
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Motor learning , Functional MRI , Motor planning , Sensorimotor adaptation
Alternative Title
Abstract
Our ability to navigate and interact with the world around us depends on our brain's capacity to coordinate activity among its distributed and interconnected neural systems. This thesis explores key interactions that unfold in the brain as it prepares and adapts its movements. Here, a series of functional MRI studies examined human brain activity during behavioural tasks featuring real and virtual environments. The first and second of these studies investigated how the motor system influences sensory areas when preparing movements. Both studies used the same pair of delayed movement tasks to show that pre-movement activity in both auditory (Study 1) and somatosensory (Study 2) cortices carries motor-related information about the planned object-directed action. Specifically, left-versus-right hand movements, as well as eye-versus-hand movements, could be decoded from auditory and somatosensory regions well-prior to movement onset. Meanwhile, Study 3 examined widespread changes in functional brain architecture that occur when the brain is tasked with adapting to a changing environment. Leveraging recent approaches that characterize whole-brain connectivity patterns, we showed that adaptation depends on changes in how sensorimotor and visual areas functionally integrate with higher-order brain areas implicated in top-down control of behaviour. Further, we found that greater functional integration of sensorimotor areas was associated with improvements in initial learning performance across individuals. Overall, this thesis aims to further our understanding of the richly integrative nature of the human brain in action.
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States