Vectorial principles of Sensorimotor decoding Type: Review

Vassiliy Tsytsarev¹Anna B. Volnova^2,3Legier Rojas⁴Priscila Sanabria⁴Alla Ignashchenkova⁵Jescelica Ortiz- Rivera⁴Janaina Alves⁴Mikhail Inyushin^4*

• ¹Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
• ²Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg, Russia
• ³Institute of Translational Biomedicine, Saint Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
• ⁴School of Medicine, Central University of the Caribbean, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
• ⁵Nevsky Center of Scientific Collaboration, Saint Petersburg 192119, Russia, Saint Petersburg, Russia

This review explores the vectorial principles underlying sensorimotor decoding across diverse biological systems. From the encoding of light wavelength in retinal cones to direction-specific motor cortex activity in primates, neural representations frequently rely on population vector coding-a scheme, in which neurons with directional or modality-specific preferences integrate their activity to encode stimuli or motor commands. Early studies on color vision and motor control introduced concepts of vector summation and neuronal tuning, evolving toward more precise models such as the von Mises distribution. Research in invertebrates, including leeches and snails, reveals that even simple nervous systems utilize population vector principles for reflexes and coordinated movements. Furthermore, analysis of joint limb motion suggests biomechanical optimization aligned with Fibonacci proportions, facilitating efficient neural and mechanical control. The review highlights that motor units and neurons often display multimodal or overlapping tuning fields, reinforcing the need for population-based decoding strategies. These findings suggest a unifying vectorial framework for sensory and motor coding, with implications for periprosthetic and brain-machine interface.