Interacting with the world

Human and non-human animals are the only organisms with brains. This unique structure allows us to not only perceive the world around but also interact with it to survive and thrive. From navigating our way to school or work, to selecting the right food to eat, or the right partner to interact with, our brain integrates sensory and internal information to produce the most appropriate behavioural responses. In this section we will analyse how the motor system is organised to execute actions, from simple reflexes to complex movements. We will then review the current understanding on how the brain integrates sensory and internal state information to produce the most adaptive behaviour given the circumstances. Later editions will also focus on how the brain integrates multi-modal internal and external sensory inputs to produce motivated behaviours such as feeding and drinking.