Motor learning is the ability to learn and modify movements, from reflexes to complex skills. The cerebellum and basal ganglia are key regions of the brain for motor learning, which is necessary for acquiring new skills and improving existing ones, as well as for physical rehabilitation.
Motor learning is the ability to learn new movements and movements and to modify existing movements. It is present in the subtleties of reflexes, learning new skills and physical rehabilitation. The application of this type of learning ranges from a toddler speaking their first words to a professional violinist perfecting a complicated piece.
Movement is produced by the nervous system, and each person has unique movement behaviors that are specific to their genetic makeup, called motor patterns. The ability to learn how to influence nervous system reactions in learning new skills and modifying existing skills is motor learning.
The cerebellum and basal ganglia are the primary regions of the brain influencing motor learning. The advanced human brain is capable of perfecting motor skills, even as subtle as reflexes, through repetitive training. A key aspect of this ability is the automation of movements that can be achieved with enough repetition. A great example of this is driving. Most people agree that after a while the driving motions become second nature.
Motor learning is necessary when acquiring a new skill involving movement. Babies learning to crawl and then walk are a great example of learning new motor skills. Learning to ride a bike or using scissors are both examples of learning to use motor skills. Writing is another example of learned motor skills, where learning to manipulate a writing tool to spell words and sentences is a new way to use hand muscles.
Motor learning is also used to improve existing skills involving movement. Learning to draw uses many of the same fine motor skills gained when learning to write. The pen or pencil is held in the same way when writing and drawing, but the motions are different. Improving sports performance is another example of enhancing existing motor skills. When someone improves a golf swing, they don’t need to relearn how to swing a golf club, but rather learn how to swing or hold the club in a slightly more effective way.
Physical rehabilitation also requires motor learning. Physical rehabilitation is necessary for a few reasons, whether it’s when there has been a trauma, such as an injury or surgery, or when a person has experienced a major growth spurt. In any of these cases, old motor skills may need to be relearned or adapted in order for a person to be able to move or perform as they did before the change. In the example of knee replacement surgery, a patient may need to relearn to walk with their new knee.
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