The hierarchy of motor control is a way to categorize motor control circuits in order to understand how the human body can perform complex motor activities.
It divides the nervous system into three levels.
The segmental level is the lowest and contains spinal cord segments that regulate automatic behaviors. The spinal cord also has a region known as the central pattern generator, or CPG, responsible for coordinating alternating movements, such as walking.
The projection level is the next level of control. It consists of neurons from the motor cortex and the brain stem. These neurons send motor instructions to the spinal cord and control the reflexes, the CPG, and the voluntary movements of the skeletal muscle.
The precommand level contains the neurons in the basal nuclei and the cerebellum and is the highest level of motor control.
The neurons at the precommand level receive internal feedback about motor information from the projection level. This feedback helps the precommand level to synchronize movements with posture, prevent unwanted movements, and monitor muscle tone.