Motor programs in the brain

The first motor program generator (central pattern generator) was
demonstrated by Wilson in 1961. He showed that an ensemble of neurons
produced the muscular action required for locust wing action. Since
then a great deal of work has been done, mostly with invertebrates,
and with simple circuits. None question that the neural circuits
involved are constructed by the genome. The molecular activity
involved in such construction of circuitry by the genome is beyond
present analysis, but many believe that it will be done.

In vertebrates, the circuitry largely defies analysis, being
exemplified by populations rather than by individual neurons.

Here is a list of the major motor pattern generators and their
approximate location within the central nervous system; all cribbed
from Larry Swanson.

Breathing: ventral medulla/upper cervical cord.

Orofaciopharyngeal movements; facial expression, vocalization,
licking, chewing, and swallowing: parvicellular reticular nucleus
(dorsolateral hindbrain).

On Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:52:01 -0700, "rscan@nycap.rr.com"
nycap.rr.com> wrote:

On Aug 6, 4:52 pm, "rs...@nycap.rr.com" nycap.rr.com> wrote:

There is much known about this process and you should review some
popular embryology books, even at the public library, these include
the direction of the assembly of these circuits by the genes by,
chemical gradients attracting particular cells to do particular
things, cell multiplication, cell type formation, etc,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryology

On Aug 6, 5:48 pm, r norman _comcast.net> wrote:

rscan@nycap.rr.com wrote:

[snip summary]

The shift to neural groups or clusters (a term I prefer to
'populations') is not at all trivial, especially since it's quite clear
that that in vertebrates environmental factors are essential to the
proper development of the brain, including of course those motor
programs. IOW, the structure of those clusters de[ends on environmental
inputs. The vertebrate learns how to move. This does not abrogate the
function of the genome, but does change it. As a matter of fact, there
is evidence that the genome's function depends crucially on external
inputs, even in invertebrates.

On Aug 7, 8:52 am, "rs...@nycap.rr.com" nycap.rr.com> wrote:

So what kick starts the motor? existence or nothing?

MG

On Aug 6, 8:48 pm, r norman _comcast.net> wrote:

On Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:59:13 -0700, "rscan@nycap.rr.com"
nycap.rr.com> wrote:

"r norman" _comcast.net> wrote in message
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