# NEURAL CONTROL OF VOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS

> **NIH NIH R01** · BROWN UNIVERSITY · 1991 · $184,899

## Abstract

This project investigates the role of the basal ganglia in integrating
somatic sensory information and motor commands for executing purposeful
movements.  This project tests the hypothesis that the basal ganglia use
somatic sensory signals to calibrate voluntary muscle activity.  Human
subjects with two types of pathology-Parkinson's disease (ON and OFF
dopaminergic medication) and focal putamen lesion-will be studied to test
hypotheses that the basal ganglia:

(1) calibrate muscle activity during changing exigencies of voluntary motor
action;

(2) use somatic sensory inputs for muscle activity calibration needed for
voluntary muscle activity.

(3) rely upon perception of limb position and muscular effort to calibrate
voluntary muscle activity.

Muscle activity, limb movements, limb dynamics, and perceptual decisions
will be measured in human subjects during isometric and isotonic motor
actions using the wrist or combined action of the elbow and shoulder.

1.  Do the basal ganglia contribute to calibration of muscle activity
during voluntary motor actions?  We hypothesize that patients with
Parkinson's disease or putamen lesion will not appropriately adjust motor
strategy required for changes in intended motor action magnitude,
direction, and speed.  We predict that basal ganglia dysfunction will
specifically disrupt adaptive adjustment of EMG patterns.

2.  Do the basal ganglia use somatic sensory information to calibrate
muscle activity?  Errors in calibrating muscle activity may be related to
errors in somatic sensory information to adapt motor output.  Experiments
will evaluate how basal ganglia dysfunction affects calibration of muscle
activity following changes in somatic sensory inputs.  We predict that the
patients with basal ganglia dysfunction will not adapt their motor
strategies when sensory input is modified by shifts in initial limb
configuration.

3.  Do the basal ganglia rely on perception of limb position and muscular
output to calibrate muscle activity?  Errors in adapting muscle activity to
somatic sensory inputs may be related to disrupted use of perceived limb
position or mismatching somatic sensory inputs with motor commands.  These
experiments will examine perception of limb position and muscular effort in
Parkinson's disease and putamen lesion patients.  We predict that basal
ganglia dysfunction will impair perception of limb position and muscular
effort.

These studies will provide substantial information on how the basal ganglia
use somatic sensory information to adjust motor strategies and to
pathophysiological descriptions and analysis of the motor disorders in
patients with Parkinson's disease and putamen lesion.  The relationships
between perceptual judgments and muscle activity could lead to strategies
for rehabilitation treatment of basal ganglia disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122549
- **Project number:** 1R01AG010634-01
- **Recipient organization:** BROWN UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** E3FDXZ6TBHW3
- **Principal Investigator:** JEROME N SANES
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1991
- **Award amount:** $184,899
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1991-09-16 → 1996-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122549

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122549, NEURAL CONTROL OF VOLUNTARY MOVEMENTS (1R01AG010634-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122549. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*