Neural mechanisms of sensorimotor transformation and action selection

Abstract

Ray Guillery made major contributions to our understanding of the development and function of the brain. One of his principal conceptual insights, developed together with Murray Sherman [S.M. Sherman & R.W. Guillery (2001) Exploring the Thalamus. Elsevier, Amstrerdam; S. Sherman & R. Guillery (2006) Exploring the Thalamus and Its Role in Cortical Functioning. Academic Press, New York, NY; S.M. Sherman & R.W. Guillery (2013) Functional Connections of Cortical Areas: A New View from the Thalamus. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA and then in his last book (R. Guillery (2017) The Brain as a Tool: A Neuroscientist's Account. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK)], was that the brain is a 'tool' to understand the world. In this view, the brain does not passively process sensory information and use the result to inform motor outputs. Rather, sensory and motor signals are widely broadcast and inextricably linked, with ongoing sensorimotor transformations serving as the basis for interaction with the outside world. Here, we describe recent studies from our laboratory and others which demonstrate this astute framing of the link among sensation, perception, and action postulated by Guillery and others [G. Deco & E.T. Rolls (2005) Prog Neurobiol, 76, 236-256; P. Cisek & J.F. Kalaska (2010) Annu Rev Neurosci, 33, 269-298]. Guillery situated his understanding in the deeply intertwined relationship between the thalamus and cortex, and importantly in the feedback from cortex to thalamus which in turn influences feed-forward drive to cortex [S.M. Sherman & R.W. Guillery (2001) Exploring the Thalamus. Elsevier, Amstrerdam; S. Sherman & R. Guillery (2006) Exploring the Thalamus and Its Role in Cortical Functioning. Academic Press, New York, NY]. We extend these observations to argue that brain mechanisms for sensorimotor transformations involve cortical and subcortical circuits that create internal models as a substrate for action, that a key role of sensory inputs is to update such models, and that a major function of sensorimotor processing underlying cognition is to enable action selection and execution.

Neural Networks Mediating Perceptual Learning in Congenital Blindness

“…We report here that, in addition to the hippocampus, CB recruit a sensorimotor network when learning the detection task. Our results fit remarkably well with recent literature on visually guided behavioral learning [42][43][44][45] , and spatial learning [46][47][48] . It is well known that brain volume can be associated with learning behavior 49,50 .…”

“…Furthermore, several recent studies have linked hippocampal volumetric differences in healthy 47 , and clinical populations with the ability to learn 49 . A recent study also demonstrated traces of learning in thalamo-cortical circuits 42 , and the impact of sensorimotor networks in guiding learning behavior 44 .…”

A gut-secreted peptide controls arousability through modulation of dopaminergic neurons in the brain

“…Elevated arousal threshold is a core feature of sleep 61 and the mechanisms that allow flexible arousability are likely conserved. In mammals, the flow of sensory information is thought to be gated by the thalamus 57,62 but olfactory information can be modulated despite not passing through this brain region 63 . This suggests that different sensory modalities can be regulated independently, a view supported by our results.…”

Relationships between Gross Motor Abilities and Sensory Processing in Children Aged 18 to 36 Months

“…3 years may acquire more information 3 ) . As sensory and motor signals are inextricably linked 34) , gross motor ability is related to oral sensory processing. Thus, oral sensory processing could be an indicator of gross motor abilities.…”