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Published on: May 10, 2019
Sensory integration does not lead to sensory calibration
Jeroen B J Smeets1, John J van den Dobbelsteen, Denise D J de Grave
1Afdeling Neurowetenschappen, Erasmus MC, P.O. Box 1738, NL-3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.smeets@fbw.vu.nl
Summary
Sensory integration optimally combines visual and proprioceptive information, leading to hand movement drift when vision is absent. This drift results from optimal sensory use, not individual sense recalibration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Perception
- Motor Control
Background:
- The brain integrates visual and proprioceptive signals for hand position estimation.
- Conflicting sensory information is optimally combined, not necessarily leading to mutual calibration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether sensory integration necessitates sensory calibration.
- To determine the cause of observed movement drift in visuomotor tasks.
Main Methods:
- Subjects moved hands between visual targets.
- Blocks of trials with and without visual feedback were alternated.
- Hand position drift was measured when visual feedback was removed.
Main Results:
- Hands drifted towards previously established positions when visual feedback was removed.
- The drift's time course correlated predictably with sensory errors.
- Drift was explained by optimal combination of unaligned sensory information.
Conclusions:
- Movement drift arises from optimal use of sensory information, not recalibration of vision or proprioception.
- Visuomotor adaptation research needs reinterpretation given that vision and proprioception may not align.
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