New body map traces origins of complex movements in the brains of mice
A new biological blueprint of how the body of a mouse is represented in its brain could help scientists answer a fundamental question: How do we perform complex motions that use more than one body part, such as coordinating arm, hand, head and lips to sip a spoonful of soup? The study was published in Nature Communications.
A groundbreaking map of how a mouse's body is represented in its brain could unlock the mystery of how complex motions, involving multiple body parts, are executed. This map, published in Nature Communications, challenges previous assumptions about the secondary motor cortex (M2), a region thought to be absent of a body map. By analyzing neural activity patterns during both movement and rest, researchers discovered a hidden body map in M2.
This finding has significant implications for understanding how the brain orchestrates coordinated movements, which could aid in treating movement disorders and improving robotics.
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