Fundamentals of motor control / Mark L. Latash.

Motor control is a relatively young field of research exploring how the nervous system produces purposeful, coordinated movements in its interaction with the body and the environment through conscious and unsconscious thought. Many books purporting to cover motor control have veered off course to examine biomechanics and physiology rather than actual control, leaving a gap in the literature. This book covers all the major perspectives in motor control, with a balanced approach. There are chapters explicitly dedicated to control theory, to dynamical systems, to biomechanics, to different behaviors, and to motor learning, including case studies. Reviews current research in motor control Contains balanced perspective between neuroscience, psychology, physics and biomechanics. Highlights controversies in the field. Discusses neurophysiology, control theory, biomechanics, and dynamical systems under one cover. Links principles of motor control to everyday behaviors Includes case studies delving into topics in more detail.

Includes index.

Title from publisher's Web site (ScienceDirect; viewed on June 27, 2012).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Front Cover; Fundamentals of Motor Control; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Chapter 1A philosophical introduction; 1.1Adequate language; 1.2Specific features of biological objects; Chapter 2Elements of history; 2.1From Ancient Greece to the early twentieth century; 2.2Classical biomechanics and neurophysiology of the twentieth century; 2.3Nikolai Bernstein and the levels of movement construction; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 3Features of the system for movement production; 3.1The muscle; 3.2Neurons and neural pathways; 3.3Sensory receptors.

3.4Reflexes3.5Motor redundancy; 3.6Motor variability; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 4Instructive examples; 4.1Do stars and planets measure the distances to each other?; 4.2Posture-movement paradox; 4.3Opening a door with a mug of coffee in one's hand; 4.4Tonic stretch reflex and voluntary movements; 4.5Equifinality and its violations; 4.6Effects of deafferentation on voluntary movements; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 5Control with forces and torques; 5.1Force control.

5.2Are interaction torques special? The leading-joint hypothesis5.3Generalized motor programs; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 6Control with muscle activations; 6.1Introduction; 6.2Dual-strategy hypothesis; 6.3Pulse-step model; 6.4Control of multi-muscle systems: muscle synergies; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 7Control theory approaches; 7.1The basic notions; 7.2Servo-control and Merton's servo-hypothesis; 7.3Optimal control; Self-test questions.

Essential references and recommended further readingsChapter 8Physical approaches; 8.1Mass-spring models; 8.2Threshold control; 8.3The equilibrium-point hypothesis; 8.4Control with referent configurations; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 9Coordination; 9.1Introduction; 9.2Optimization; 9.3Dynamical systems approach; 9.4Synergy; 9.5Perception-action interactions; 9.6Perception-action coupling; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 10Neurophysiological structures; 10.1The spinal cord.

10.2Central pattern generators10.3The brain: A general overview; 10.4Cortex of the large hemispheres; 10.5Loops through the basal ganglia; 10.6Loops involving the cerebellum; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 11Exemplary behaviors; 11.1Posture; 11.2Locomotion; 11.3Reaching; 11.4Prehension; Self-test questions; Essential references and recommended further readings; Chapter 12Effects of practice and adaptation; 12.1Introduction; 12.2Learning to be quick and accurate: Speed-accuracy and speed-difficulty trade-offs; 12.3 Learning motor synergies.