Dominance of Vision over Proprioception on Motor Programming: Evidence from ERP

Abstract

The brain determines positions and movements of body parts from inputs arising at least from vision and proprioception. Using the brain event-related potential called the lateralized readiness potential, which reflects motor cortical activity during motor programming, we showed in a motor task that viewing one hand in a sagittal mirror-giving the impression to see the opposite hand-generated activity in the motor cortex of the seen hand (i.e., of the nonmoving hand hidden behind the mirror). The visual influence on cortical motor region occurred even when the proprioceptive input related to the real opposite effector was not aligned on the visual feedback of the hand given by the mirror. This dominance vision over proprioception was greatly reduced when the task was executed in the dark with hand position represented by small lights fixed on the moving hand, with no motor activity being recorded in the cortical area of the inactive hand. These results give new insights into how the brain weights and integrates visual and proprioceptive information in motor control.

Perception of hand movement by mirror reflection evokes brain activation in the motor cortex contralateral to a non-moving hand

“…As with the findings of Praamstra et al (2011), our findings are not consistent with those of Touzalin-Chretien & Dufour (2008), Touzalin-Chretien et al (2009, 2010. Ipsilateral amplitude in the mirror view conditions was clearly larger in the present study in comparison to ipsilateral amplitude in direct view conditions.…”

“…However, ERP data of the present study consistently showed larger amplitude at electrode sites contralateral to the movement hand compared to the amplitude at electrode sites ipsilateral to the movement hand in both experimental conditions. We, therefore, agree with Praamstra et al (2011) that MVF induces additional excitation in the ipsilateral M1 of the moving hand but contrary to Touzalin-Chretien & Dufour (2008), Touzalin-Chretien et al (2009, 2010 this additional excitation does not exceed the contralateral activation.…”

“…Along those lines, TouzalinChretien and colleagues measured the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) to assess motor readiness of movement as a marker of M1 activation. Results revealed evidence of an LRP associated with the resting hand in the mirror view condition (Touzalin-Chretien & Dufour, 2008;Touzalin-Chretien, Ehrler, & Dufour, 2009, 2010. However, the findings of TouzalinChretien et al were refuted by Praamstra, Torney, Rawle, and Miall (2011) with the claim that there was a methodological error in computation of the LRP in the mirror view conditions.…”

Temporary Nerve Block at Selected Digits Revealed Hand Motor Deficits in Grasping Tasks

“…As a result, there was no synergy drop identified in the absence of digital sensory feedback. The reported preserved synergy might due to the dominant role of visual feedback in accurate force production and correction compared with cutaneous sensory modality (Hartcher-O’Brien et al, 2008; Touzalin-Chretien et al, 2010). Our current study examined the effect of digital anesthesia on multi-digit coordination in object grasp and lift control.…”

There and back again: Putting the vectorial movement planning hypothesis to a critical test

“…It has been shown that the integration of visual and proprioceptive information used for movement control can be altered by task circumstances (Touzalin-Chretien, Ehrler & Dufour, 2010). Generally, subjects tend to rely more heavily on vision than on proprioception for the planning and execution of movements (e.g.…”