A journey through the complex network of regions controlling the human motor system, beginning with the spinal cord and its central pattern generators, and working up through the primary motor cortex, the premotor cortex, the posterior parietal cortex, the cerebellum, and the basal ganglia. I discuss the computational roles of each part of the motor control hierarchy, focusing on what functions are performed and what information is represented in each unique brain region. Overall I emphasise the complex interaction between top-down and bottom-up feedback in controlling muscle movement and executing complex motor tasks. Recommended pre-listening is Episode 132: The Muscular System, and Episode 38: Neurons and Synapses.
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Episode 143: Climate Modelling
Episode 142: The Greenhouse Effect
Episode 141: Natural Climate Change
Episode 140: A History of Earth's Climate
Special Episode: Dinosaurs in Popular Culture
Episode 139: Cybersecurity and Cryptocurrencies
Episode 138: Biochemistry and Metabolism
Episode 137: The Digestive System
Episode 136: Introduction to General Relativity
Episode 135: The Science of Emotion
Episode 134: Hormones and the Endocrine System
Special Episode: Evolution and Genetics
Episode 132: The Muscular System
Special Episode: Language in Brains and Machines
Episode 131: Sleep Science
Episode 130: Transition Metal Chemistry
Episode 129: Glaciers, Ice, and Groundwater
Episode 128: Wind, Deserts, and Coasts
Episode 127: Weathering, Erosion, and Rivers
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