Introduction: The Use of Animal Research in Developing Treatments for Human Motor Disorders: Brain-Computer Interfaces and the Regeneration of Damaged Brain Circuits

This issue of the ILAR Journal is devoted to animal models of human movement disorders. It is not possible to cover this vast topic in a few short articles, but we hope that the contributing researchers’ descriptions of research models and results will inform, guide, and promote further research on motor disorders. The research field is broad because so much of the nervous system relates to motor function. It is sometimes said that animals have brains because they move faster than plants. Being able to move about clearly puts a premium on having a large brain that can analyze and use both previous experience and ongoing sensory information in order to guide and control motor systems and thus produce skillful and productive behaviors. For humans in particular, our large, complex brains allow a range of skilled performances that greatly exceeds that of any other mammal. We can especially marvel at the performance of our most accomplished musicians and athletes. The ability to develop these skills, which frequently require years of devoted, specialized practice, indicates that general-purpose brain circuits can be rewired through use in order to perfect a variety of specific motor feats. This same flexibility in the use of brain circuits enables us to compensate to various extents for brain injuries, and thereby maintain capabilities as brain impairments progress or recover capabilities lost after injuries. Animal research that is relevant to the treatment of human motor disorders is of several types: