Paul L. Gribble
Professor
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PH.D. McGill University |
Despite the significant mechanical complexities of multi-joint limb motion, humans are able to interact with the environment with remarkable ease. For example, a skilled athlete can accurately throw a light baseball or a heavy football, even though the underlying muscle forces are very different. Despite very different mechanical requirements, the brain can generate the appropriate motor commands to limb muscles that take these loads into account, and result in skilled movement. Motor skills are developed over time and improved, and we refer to this as motor learning. The goal of our research is to gain an understanding of the neural, sensory and cognitive mechanisms that underlie motor learning. Our experimental approach is to use both human behavioural studies and theoretical studies using computational models of motor behaviour to test hypotheses about how motor learning is achieved for multi-joint Current research projects include: Effects of motor learning on sensory systems; Motor learning by observing; Interference and contextual cues in learning multiple motor skills; Neural control of limb stiffness; Computational models of neuromuscular control
arm movements and for interacting with the environment.
Kistemaker DA, Wong JD, Gribble PL (2010) The Central Nervous System does not minimize energy cost in arm movements. J Neurophysiol, 104, 2985-94 Brown LE, Wilson ET, Goodale MA, Gribble PL. Motor force fieldlearning influences visual processing of target motion. J Neurosci 2007; 27 (37): 9975-83. Cothros N, Kohler S, Dickie EW, Mirsattari SM, Gribble PL. Proactive interference as a result of persisting neural representations of previously learned motor skills in primary motor cortex. J Cogn Mattar AA, Gribble PL. Motor learning by observing. Neuron 2005; 46 (1): 153-60.
Ostry DJ, Darainy M, Mattar AA, Wong J, Gribble PL (2010) Somatosensory plasticity and motor learning. J Neurosci 30(15): 5384-93
Neurosci 2006; 18 (12): 2167-76.
