A Brief Historical and Neuropsychoanalytic Overview of Theories on Movement and Psychomotor Function

This article systematizes theories of psychomotor disorders, human movement and psychomotor function. In it, we summarize the classical neuroanatomical theories of Vesalius, Brodmann, Charcot, and Luria; the fundamental psychoanalytic ideas of the psychic apparatus of Freud and Klein; and the contemporary neuropsychoanalytic concepts of Solms and Turnbull. As a result, we distinguish three main groups of theories: structural (with a neuroanatomical focus), linear (connecting the psychic with the physical aspect), and neuroplastic (looking for similarities between neuronal plasticity and the psychic adaptability of the psychic apparatus). These theories are presented in chronological order, with structural theories preceding linear theories, and linear theories serving as a transition to neuroplastic theories. In conclusion, psychomotor skills and synaptic conduction in the brain depend on the overall integrity of the organism, the interactions of the individual with the environment, and concomitant changes in neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, glutamate, and cortisol.