Ida Marie Brandt

PhD Student, Christensen Lab

Title

Functional Role of Perception of Movements

Abstract

In this project the role of conscious experience of own movement in motor control is investigated. We approach this question with a TMS study, in which the primary aim is to investigate the ability of healthy individuals to consciously access motor information in the primary motor cortex (M1). We will measure excitability of M1 and thereby M1 informational content using TMS-induced motor evoked potentials (MEPs). This allows us to correlate subjective aspects of movement to M1 motor information. Probing the content of subjective aspects of movement is a first step in testing a hypothesis about its functional role. 

The goal is to understand sensorimotor interactions in the central nervous system of humans, and how sensorimotor interactions serves as the foundations for cognitive functions, and study basic motor neurophysiology and higher order cognitive phenomena in humans. We work under an assumption that all higher order brain functions rest upon a foundation of sensorimotor interaction with the environment. During infancy the fundamental sensorimotor interactions are developed, and through these interactions the foundation of understanding how actions have an impact on the environment is learned. This fundamental sensorimotor interaction is key to understand the development of higher order cognitive functions. The studies are developed and conducted in collaboration with researchers from philosophy, psychology, engineering, the humanities as well as therapists, medical doctors and the health sciences both nationally and internationally. This allow us to bridge technological advancements with cognition based on human interaction with our surroundings.

The project is part of a collaborative project between the Christensen Lab at IN and the CoInAct (Cognition, Intention and Action) interdisciplinary research group. The interdisciplinary research group CoInAct includes researchers from philosophy, psychology and neuroscience. Together we investigate human cognition and action, with the primary aim to improve understanding of the psychological, philosophical and neural foundations of human cognition, action, and movement. We are investigating the neural mechanisms underlying human control of movements and psychological mechanisms behind human voluntary actions, as well as understanding the philosophical issues regarding mind and action. For this we use behavioral and neuro-scientific measures, as well as computational modeling and philosophical inquiries.