The contribution of visual feedback to visuomotor adaptation: how much and when?
We investigated the role of visual feedback in adapting to novel visuomotor environments. Participants produced isometric elbow torques to move a cursor towards visual targets. Following trials with no rotation, participants adapted to a 60 degrees rotation of the visual feedback before returning to the non-rotated condition. Participants received continuous visual feedback (CF) of cursor position during task execution or post-trial visual feedback (PF). With training, reductions of the angular deviations of the cursor path occurred to a similar extent and at a similar rate for CF and PF groups. However, upon re-exposure to the non-rotated environment only CF participants exhibited post-training aftereffects, manifested as increased angular deviation of the cursor path, with respect to the pre-rotation trials. These aftereffects occurred despite colour cues permitting identification of the change in environment. The results show that concurrent feedback permits automatic recalibration of the visuomotor mapping while post-trial feedback permits performance improvement via a cognitive strategy.
Hinder
Mark R
MR
Perception and Motor Systems Laboratory, School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland, 4072, Australia. mhinder@hms.uq.edu.au
Tresilian
James R
JR
Riek
Stephan
S
Carson
Richard G
RG
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology