Motor imagery in reaching: is there a left-hemispheric advantage?
The study of motor imagery affords an attractive approach in the quest to identify the specific aspects of cognitive and neuromotor mechanisms and relationship involved in action processing. Here, the authors investigated the recently reported finding that compared to the left-hemisphere, the right brain is at a significant disadvantage for mentally simulating reaching movements. The authors investigated this observation with strong right-handers that were asked to estimate the imagined reachability of visual targets (presented at 150 ms) at multiple points at midline, right- and left visual field; responses were compared to actual maximum reaching distance. Results indicated that individuals are relatively accurate at imagined reachability, with no significant distinction between visual field responses. Therefore, these data provide no evidence to support the claim that the right hemisphere is significantly inferior to the left hemisphere in estimations of motor imagery for reaching. The authors do acknowledge differences in the experimental task and subject characteristics compared to earlier work using split-brain and stroke patients.
Gabbard
Carl
C
Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University College Station, Texas, USA. c-gabbard@tamu.edu
Ammar
Diala
D
Rodrigues
Luis
L
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception