A hierarchical neural-network model for control and learning of voluntary movement (Q579154)

In order to control voluntary movements, the central nervous system (CNS) must solve the following three computational problems at different levels: the determination of a desired trajectory in the visual coordinates, the transformation of its coordinates to the body coordinates and the generation of motor command. Based on physiological knowledge and previous models, we propose a hierarchical neural network model which accounts for the generation of motor command. In our model the association cortex provides the motor cortex with the desired trajectory in the body coordinates, where the motor command is then calculated by means of long-loop sensory feedback. Within the spinocerebellum-magnocellular red nucleus system, an internal neural model of the dynamics of the musculoskeletal system is acquired with practice, because of the heterosynaptic plasticity, while monitoring the motor command and the results of movement. Internal feedback control with this dynamical model updates the motor command by predicting a possible error of movement. Within the cerebrocerebellum-parvocellular red nucleus system, an internal neural model of the inverse-dynamics of the musculo-skeletal system is acquired while monitoring the desired trajectory and the motor command. The inverse-dynamics model substitues for other brain regions in the complex computation of the motor command. The dynamics and the inverse-dynamics models are realized by a parallel distributed neural network.