Research reveals how the brain anticipates the unexpected to keep our movements smooth and accurate
Walking through a packed crowd, you do more than plan your own steps – your brain is also preparing for the people who might bump into you. New research led by Jonathan A. Michaels, conducted in the laboratory of Andrew Pruszynski at Western University, reveals how the brain pulls off this kind of constant balancing act. The motor circuits that control our movements do not passively wait for something to go wrong; they actively configure themselves in advance so they can react quickly and accurately when a disturbance does occur.
View the scientific publication:
Michaels JA, Kashefi M, Zheng J, Codol O, Weiler J, Kersten R, Lau JC, Gribble PL, Diedrichsen J, Pruszynski JA (2025) Sensory expectations shape neural population dynamics in motor circuits. Nature:1–10.
