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Published on: December 2, 2022
The human dorsal premotor cortex generates on-line error corrections during sensorimotor adaptation
Ji-Hang Lee1, Paul van Donkelaar
1Behavioral Brian Sciences, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Summary
The dorsal premotor cortex is crucial for sensorimotor adaptation, specifically enabling real-time movement adjustments based on visual feedback. Disrupting this brain region impairs the ability to adapt movements when vision guides the process.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Sensorimotor adaptation involves learning and adjusting movements based on sensory feedback.
- The precise roles of different brain regions, including the dorsal premotor cortex, in this process remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific contribution of the dorsal premotor cortex to sensorimotor adaptation.
- To understand its role in visually guided on-line corrections and proprioceptive recalibration.
Main Methods:
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to temporarily disrupt activity in the dorsal premotor cortex.
- Participants performed a pointing task with prism goggles, with varying visual feedback conditions.
Main Results:
- Disrupting the dorsal premotor cortex slowed adaptation when continuous visual feedback was available.
- This disruption reduced on-line trajectory corrections and the perceived shift in arm position.
- No significant effects were observed when visual feedback was only available at the movement's end.
Conclusions:
- The dorsal premotor cortex plays a key role in generating visually driven, on-line motor corrections during sensorimotor adaptation.
- It is essential for updating the sense of arm position during adaptive learning.
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