title: Attenuation of self-generated tactile sensations is predictive, not postdictive.
abstract: When one finger touches the other, the resulting tactile sensation is perceived as weaker than the same stimulus externally imposed. This attenuation of sensation could result from a predictive process that subtracts the expected sensory consequences of the action, or from a postdictive process that alters the perception of sensations that are judged after the event to be self-generated. In this study we observe attenuation even when the fingers unexpectedly fail to make contact, supporting a predictive process. This predictive attenuation of self-generated sensation may have evolved to enhance the perception of sensations with an external cause.
authors.affiliation: Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, United Kingdom. p.bays@ion.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bays
authors.forename: J Randall
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wolpert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*