Preface

Abstract

Extract The control of head movement is a three-dimensional motor coordination problem that every vertebrate and a large number of invertebrates must solve in order to survive in their respective habitats. Head movements play a prominent role as the animal orients itself in its environment and engages in important functions such as feeding, grooming, and catching prey. So much emphasis has been placed on the role of eye movements in many of these behaviors that the role of head movements has almost been excluded in past studies, as in head-fixed animal and human models. Furthermore, the biomechanics of head movement control has attracted less attention than that of locomotion. Thus, the study of head movement control needs to be brought to the same level of sophistication, on a large scale, as other areas of motor control, in particular the eye movement field. The need for a thorough analysis of all aspects of head movement control is all the more important because head movements are a core element of orienting behavior involving a number of interactive sensory and motor systems.