Science: How the brain filters interference signals to coordinate actions

When you are reading this article, the tactile receptors on your skin are sensing the surrounding environment

Now, researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered how neurons in a certain area of ​​the mammalian brain help filter out interfering signals (especially hand signals) to coordinate dexterous movements

Eiman Azim, assistant professor of the Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory at Salk University, said: “These findings not only help to better understand how our nervous system interacts with the world, but also help us make better prostheses and Robots, and how to repair neural circuits more effectively after illness or injury

Scientists have long known that from throwing a basketball to playing a musical instrument, signals from both hands are needed to coordinate dexterous movements

"People often misunderstand that when the brain sends a signal, you will perform the corresponding action

It is not difficult to understand that if the brain responds to every signal sent by the body, it will quickly become overwhelmed

They used a variety of tools in mice to study cells in the wedge-shaped nucleus region of the brainstem, which is the first area where hand signals enter the brain

James Conner, the first author of the paper, said: "The wedge-shaped nucleus is usually considered a transit point, and information just passes through it

Conner and Azim went on to show how other parts of the mouse cerebral cortex (that is, the area responsible for more complex adaptive behavior) in turn control the cuneiform nucleus nerve cells to instruct them to filter the intensity of the sensory information of the hand

Despite decades of research, most of the current prostheses and robots are still difficult to perform hand movements flexibly

"The sensory system has evolved to be very sensitive in order to maximize the protective response to external threats

Azim added: "We are often bombarded by various information.

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James M.