The Acquisition of Motor Behavior in Vertebrates

The Acquisition of Motor Behavior in Vertebrates

Edited by James R. Bloedel, Timothy J. Ebner and Steven P. Wise

A Bradford Book

Request Permissions Exam copy

Overview

Author(s)

Praise

Summary

Our motor skills determine how well we perform in athletics, dance, music, and in carrying out countless daily chores. While our proficiency at performing individual actions and synthesizing them into seamless sequences limits our athletic and artistic talents, we are not perpetually bound by such limitations. The nervous system can acquire new, and modify old, motor behaviors through experience and practice. That is motor learning. The Acquisition of Motor Behavior in Vertebratesprovides a broad, multidisciplinary survey of recent research on the brain systems and mechanisms underlying motor learning. Following the editors' introduction, nineteen contributions report on the neurobiology of these higher brain functions and on diverse types of motor learning such as reflex adaptation, conditioned and instrumental reflex learning, visually guided actions, and complex sequences and skills.

Hardcover

Out of Print ISBN: 9780262024044 452 pp. | 7.3 in x 10 in

Editors

James R. Bloedel

Timothy J. Ebner

Steven P. Wise

Steven P. Wise is a Research Biologist in the Senior Biomedical Research Service at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Endorsements

  • This book's impressive scope covers a diverse range of topics, including evolution, behavior, systems and cellular physiology and modelling. The chapters provide useful reviews by outstanding meuroscientists at the forefront of their field. As such the volume should be a valuable introduction and reference for students and neuroscientists.

    Eberhard E. Fetz

    Ph.D., Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine

  • Acquisition of Motor Behavior in Vertebrates is a definitive, novel contribution to one of the most exciting and fastest evolving fields of Neuroscience. The top notch chapters, lucidly written by the leaders in the field, make the book an indispensable resource, and the topics covered, ranging from human motor behavior to neurophysiology and modeling, give the book an unusual and highly original breadth. The book is highly recommended to undergraduate and graduate students as well as to experts: Everyone will enjoy the excitement and fascination of motor learning explicated in such a comprehensive and lucid way!

    Apostolos P. Georgopoulos

    Director, Brain Sciences Center, VA Medical Center; Professor of Physiology, Neurology, and Psychology, University of Minnesota Medical School

  • Our knowledge base is rapidly expanding, and this compendium should be invaluable to neuroscientists who are attempting to stay abreast of the diversity of developments. It should also be useful to students who are preparing themselves to work in this area. I am not aware of another volume that effectively addresses the general topic of motor learning, and to this extent, the book is unique.

    James C. Houk

    Nathan Smith Davis Professor and Chairman of the Physiology Department, Northwestern Medical School