Two is better than one: physical interactions improve motor performance in humans.
How do physical interactions with others change our own motor behavior? Utilizing a novel motor learning paradigm in which the hands of two - individuals are physically connected without their conscious awareness, we investigated how the interaction forces from a partner adapt the motor behavior in physically interacting humans. We observed the motor adaptations during physical interactions to be mutually beneficial such that both the worse and better of the interacting partners improve motor performance during and after interactive practice. We show that these benefits cannot be explained by multi-sensory integration by an individual, but require physical interaction with a reactive partner. Furthermore, the benefits are determined by both the interacting partner's performance and similarity of the partner's behavior to one's own. Our results demonstrate the fundamental neural processes underlying human physical interactions and suggest advantages of interactive paradigms for sport-training and physical rehabilitation.
1] Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Osaka University Campus, Suita, Japan 5650871 [2] ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, 2-2-2, Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan 6190288 [3] UMI 3218 JRL, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Tsukuba, Japan 3058568.
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Ganesh
Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, South Kensington, London UK SW72AZ.
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Takagi
ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, 2-2-2, Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan 6190288.
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Osu
ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, 2-2-2, Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan 6190288.
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Yoshioka
1] Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Osaka University Campus, Suita, Japan 5650871 [2] ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, 2-2-2, Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, Japan 6190288.
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Kawato
Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, South Kensington, London UK SW72AZ.
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Burdet
D000328:Adult; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion