Dynamic Representations Provide the Gradual Specification of Movement Parameters

Abstract

In an attempt to give a theoretical foundation of the abstract notion of “motor programming”, neural representations of movement parameters are introduced on which activity dynamics is subject to sensory and preinformation as well as to intentional factors. A motor program is defined as a sufficiently developed cluster of activity, the location of which codes for parameters of the upcoming movement. Simulation results closely reproduce experimental findings.They show that motor programs can be prestructured by the stimulus set used during sessions and that the motor program can adapt gradually over time to a visual specification. Testable predictions are derived from the theory. As a concrete example, the programming of visually guided saccades is considered.