Brain circuits underlying motor control II. Control of voluntary versus involuntary
movement (‘Free will?’). Mirror neurons.
Main topics of lecture
• Types of movement – distinction between involuntary and voluntary
• Examples of involuntary behaviour – role of giant neurons and electrical synapses
• Examples of voluntary behaviour – ‘free will’ in flies and humans?
• Mirror neurons
Examples of automatic actions – startle behaviours :
(how are neuroanatomy, physiology, neural architecture and behaviour integrated?)
• Crayfish escape responses – anterior and posterior escape
• Fly – escape flight initiation (compare to “voluntary” take-off)
• A vertebrate example – the Mauthner cell circuit
Note the common occurrence of giant neurons and electrical synapses and simple circuits –
reducing the time required for initiating a behavioural action
Crayfish escape example
Hard wired involuntary motor action – startle and escape behaviour: Here a simple neural
architecture using rectifying electrical synapses produces two escape responses without
the brain having to bother itself with a “decision” between alternative responses
movement (‘Free will?’). Mirror neurons.
Main topics of lecture
• Types of movement – distinction between involuntary and voluntary
• Examples of involuntary behaviour – role of giant neurons and electrical synapses
• Examples of voluntary behaviour – ‘free will’ in flies and humans?
• Mirror neurons
Examples of automatic actions – startle behaviours :
(how are neuroanatomy, physiology, neural architecture and behaviour integrated?)
• Crayfish escape responses – anterior and posterior escape
• Fly – escape flight initiation (compare to “voluntary” take-off)
• A vertebrate example – the Mauthner cell circuit
Note the common occurrence of giant neurons and electrical synapses and simple circuits –
reducing the time required for initiating a behavioural action
Crayfish escape example
Hard wired involuntary motor action – startle and escape behaviour: Here a simple neural
architecture using rectifying electrical synapses produces two escape responses without
the brain having to bother itself with a “decision” between alternative responses
