3.6C
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
LITERATURE
FSWP3089K
Annemijn Hoogendoorn
2024/2025
,Term Meaning
Anterior In front of or front, toward the nose
Posterior In behind of or behind, toward the tail
Ventral Towards the front of the body/belly
Dorsal Towards the back of the body/back
Distal Away or farthest away from the chest or the point of origin of the
body part
Proximal Closer or towards the trunk or the point of origin of the body part
Median Midline of the body
Medial Towards the median/midline
Lateral Away from median/midline
Ipsilateral Structures on the same side of the body
Contralateral Structures on the opposite side of the body
Superior Towards the top of the head
Inferior Towards the feet
External Towards the surface, superficial
Internal Away from the surface, deep
Frontal Towards the front of the brain
Occipital Towards the back of the brain
Coronal Plane Vertical plane dividing the body into anterior and posterior
Sagittal Plane Vertice plane dividing the body into left and right
Transverse Plane Horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior
Axial Plane Horizontal plane dividing the brain into superior and inferior
,Week 1: Perception and motor system
Chapter 9: Organization of the motor system
The visual system must first inspect object to determine what part of it should be grasped.
This information is then relayed from the visual cortex to corticomotor regions, which plan
and initiate the movement, sending instructions to the part of the spinal cord that controls the
muscles of the arm and hand. As the object is grasped, information from sensory receptors
in the fingers travels to the spinal cord; and, from the spinal cord, messages are sent to
sensory regions of the cortex that interpret touch. The sensory cortex informs the motor
cortex that the object is now being held.
Meanwhile other regions of the central nervous system have been modulating and adjusting
the movement.
- The basal ganglia (the collection of nuclei and tracts that lie beneath the frontal
cortex) help to produce the appropriate amount of force.
- The cerebellum at the base of the brain helps to regulate timing and corrects any
errors as the movement takes place.
The term motor system is usually reserved for those parts of the nervous system that most
directly take part in producing movement and for the neural circuits of the spinal cord that
issue commands to muscles through the peripheral nerves.
, 9.1 The neocortex and the initiation of movement
Four general regions of the neocortex produce our skilled movements:
1. The posterior sensory regions of the cortex specify movement goals and send
information to the prefrontal cortex by several routes.
o More direct routes are used to prompt M1 (primary motor cortex) to execute
relatively automatic movements.
o Indirect routes through the temporal cortex are used for movements requiring
conscious control.
2. Instructions travel from the prefrontal cortex, which generates plans for movements,
to the premotor cortex to the primary motor cortex.
3. The premotor cortex (which includes a ventral region, and a dorsal region called the
supplementary motor cortex) contains a repertoire of movements—a lexicon—that
allows it to recognize the movement of others and select similar or different actions.
4. The lexicon of the primary motor cortex (M1) consists of movements that are
somewhat more elementary than those of the premotor cortex.
In conclusion, the goal for movement arises in the posterior cortex, the planning of
movement takes place in the prefrontal cortex, and the motor cortex executes the
appropriate movements.
E. Roland’s did an experiment to illustrate the theory of neocortex with cerebral blood flow
(serves as an indicator of neural activity). It shows the regions of the brain that were active
when subjects were performing different tasks.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
LITERATURE
FSWP3089K
Annemijn Hoogendoorn
2024/2025
,Term Meaning
Anterior In front of or front, toward the nose
Posterior In behind of or behind, toward the tail
Ventral Towards the front of the body/belly
Dorsal Towards the back of the body/back
Distal Away or farthest away from the chest or the point of origin of the
body part
Proximal Closer or towards the trunk or the point of origin of the body part
Median Midline of the body
Medial Towards the median/midline
Lateral Away from median/midline
Ipsilateral Structures on the same side of the body
Contralateral Structures on the opposite side of the body
Superior Towards the top of the head
Inferior Towards the feet
External Towards the surface, superficial
Internal Away from the surface, deep
Frontal Towards the front of the brain
Occipital Towards the back of the brain
Coronal Plane Vertical plane dividing the body into anterior and posterior
Sagittal Plane Vertice plane dividing the body into left and right
Transverse Plane Horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior
Axial Plane Horizontal plane dividing the brain into superior and inferior
,Week 1: Perception and motor system
Chapter 9: Organization of the motor system
The visual system must first inspect object to determine what part of it should be grasped.
This information is then relayed from the visual cortex to corticomotor regions, which plan
and initiate the movement, sending instructions to the part of the spinal cord that controls the
muscles of the arm and hand. As the object is grasped, information from sensory receptors
in the fingers travels to the spinal cord; and, from the spinal cord, messages are sent to
sensory regions of the cortex that interpret touch. The sensory cortex informs the motor
cortex that the object is now being held.
Meanwhile other regions of the central nervous system have been modulating and adjusting
the movement.
- The basal ganglia (the collection of nuclei and tracts that lie beneath the frontal
cortex) help to produce the appropriate amount of force.
- The cerebellum at the base of the brain helps to regulate timing and corrects any
errors as the movement takes place.
The term motor system is usually reserved for those parts of the nervous system that most
directly take part in producing movement and for the neural circuits of the spinal cord that
issue commands to muscles through the peripheral nerves.
, 9.1 The neocortex and the initiation of movement
Four general regions of the neocortex produce our skilled movements:
1. The posterior sensory regions of the cortex specify movement goals and send
information to the prefrontal cortex by several routes.
o More direct routes are used to prompt M1 (primary motor cortex) to execute
relatively automatic movements.
o Indirect routes through the temporal cortex are used for movements requiring
conscious control.
2. Instructions travel from the prefrontal cortex, which generates plans for movements,
to the premotor cortex to the primary motor cortex.
3. The premotor cortex (which includes a ventral region, and a dorsal region called the
supplementary motor cortex) contains a repertoire of movements—a lexicon—that
allows it to recognize the movement of others and select similar or different actions.
4. The lexicon of the primary motor cortex (M1) consists of movements that are
somewhat more elementary than those of the premotor cortex.
In conclusion, the goal for movement arises in the posterior cortex, the planning of
movement takes place in the prefrontal cortex, and the motor cortex executes the
appropriate movements.
E. Roland’s did an experiment to illustrate the theory of neocortex with cerebral blood flow
(serves as an indicator of neural activity). It shows the regions of the brain that were active
when subjects were performing different tasks.
