The lower motor neuron homunculus

2022/08/26 by John Ravits, Julia Stack · 1 voice
Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Action Observation and Synchronization #Neurological disorders and treatments #Neurology and Historical Studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/brain/awac310

openalex publication_date 2022/08/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21

Abstract

Penfield’s motor homunculus anthropomorphizes the cerebral level of motor control, the upper motor neuron. However, it leaves the cranial and spinal motor neurons unrepresented. Here Ravits and Stack redress the imbalance by presenting a lower motor neuron homunculus.

Citations

• A little man of some importance
• The Missing Female Homunculus

Discussions

• Scientific figure of the day. A homunculus representing spinal and cranial motor neurons (light; the part of the motor system that executes motor work) along with better known representation of motor [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]