Different constraints on grip selection in brain-damaged patients: object use versus object transport

The present study discusses the presence of different constraints on action selection during object use versus object transport. Sixteen left brain-damaged (LBD) patients, 10 right brain-damaged (RBD) and 35 healthy controls were examined on a grip preference test consisting of a grasping-to-transport and a grasping-to-use condition. Assessment included a general praxis testing (pantomime production, object utilization gesture recognition and object use). We also reported the case of a close-head injury patient (DR) with an atypical behavioural pattern. Our results supported the different constraint hypothesis. While several LBD and RBD patients performed inappropriate grips in the grasping-to-transport condition, only two patients (L2 and DR) used inappropriate grips in the grasping-to-use condition. No correlation was found between the two conditions of the grip preference test and measures of the general praxis testing. The discussion focuses on the nature of constraints on grip selection during object use and object transport.