Course Readings and Materials

Interesting Stuff

Lecture One: Neurons
​Chapter 1: Kandel
Chapter 2: Kandel
​Video: Anatomy of a Neuron
​Video: How Neurons Work
Video: Action Potentials **NEW
​Video: Synaptic Transmission

Lecture Two: Reflexes
Chapter 35: Kandel
​Chapter: Spinal Reflexes
Video: Spinal Reflexes
Video: Spinal Reflexes
​Video: Tendon Tap Reflex
Website: Reflex Review

Lecture Three: Movement Planning
Reading: Generalized Motor Programs
Reading: Issues with Motor Programs
Review: Current Status of the Motor Program
Review: Motor Program Theory
Review: Motor Primitives (Konczak)

Lecture Four: Visual Processing
Text: Chapter 29
Paper: The Visual Brain
Review: Goodale and Milner 2008

Lecture Five: Motor and Sensory Neurons
Text: Chapter 22
​Slides
​Video: Spinal Cord Introduction
​Video: Descending Motor Pathways
​Video: Corticospinal Tract

Lecture Six: Postural Control
Text: Chapter 41
​Research Paper: Anticipatory Postural Control
Research Article: Fatigue and Postural Control
Research Article: Training and Postural Control
Text: Anatomy of the Vestibular System
Review Paper: Aging and Vestibular Control

Week Seven: Neural Basis of Motor Skills
Text: Chapter 33
Text: Chapter 38
​Research Article: Activity in Pre and Primary MC
Research Article: Organization of Primary Motor Cortex

Lecture Eight: Online Control
Text: Chapter 29
Research Article: Desmurget et al. 1999
Research Article: Sarlenga 2015
Research Article: PPC and Control Archambault 2009
Research Article: PPC, MS, and Online Control
Research Article: Online Control Issues in ASD
Review Paper: PPC and Online Control

Lecture Nine: Neural Coding
Text: Chapter 21 Sensory Coding
Text: Chapter 37 Voluntary Movement
Research Paper: Population Coding and Prosthetics

Lecture Ten: Central Pattern Generators
Text: Chapter 36 Locomotion
Lecture Slides
Video: Central Pattern Generators
Video: Central Pattern Generators
Research Article: Central Pattern Generators
Video: Cat Demonstration of CPG
Review Paper: Central Pattern Generators
Research Paper: Stroke and Gait

​Lecture Eleven: Inverse Models
Text: Chapter 42 - The Cerebellum
Article: Kawato 1999
Article: Wolpert 1999
Article: Lonini 2009

Lecture Twelve: Forward Models
Article: Desmurget 2000
Article: Wolpert 2000
Article: Kawato 1998
Review Paper: Forward and Inverse Models
​Review Paper: Error Correction and Models

Movement Disorders: ALS
Chapter 14: Kandel
Video: ALS
Website: ALS Society of Canada
Website: NIH Information about ALS
Review Article: ALS
​Research Article: ALS
Research Paper: Impact of ALS on Movement Planning

Supplementary Lecture Videos

Lecture 7 supplement video lecture

TED Talk: Daniel Wolpert - The Real Purpose of Brains
​TED Talk: Greg Gage - Arm Control
Website: The Schwartz Lab
Research Article: Neuroplasticity
TED Talk: Ted Kuiken - Prosthetic Arm that Feels
Research Article: Interoception
NY Times: Autism and TMS
YouTube: Teaching a Robot to Grasp
TED Talk: Your Brain on Video Games
TED Talk: Parkinson's, Depression, and How To Stop Both

​Nutrition And Your Brain
Article 1
Article 2
Article 3