Sensorimotor Behaviour and Neuroplasticity

Full course description

Given the importance of human movement in many aspects of daily life, and arm-hand movements in particular, it is crucial to understand how the brain converts sensory information into goal-directed motor actions. This course provides an in-depth treatment of brain-movement relationships, focusing on sensorimotor transformations that underlie arm reaching and how it can adapt to changing circumstances. Adaptations in movements under changing circumstances are covered with the concept of neuroplasticity, the notion that the brain is dynamic by rewiring itself contingent on task demands and new experiences. Finally, this course invites the students to link the acquired knowledge on sensorimotor transformations with the exciting, surging field of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), which allow compensation for lost motor function, for instance in people suffering from spinal cord injury or stroke.