Modulation of anticipatory postural adjustments in the anticipation-coincidence task

This study was designed to (a) verify whether the time available for movement preparation and execution modulates anticipatory postural adjustments/focal movement coordination and (b) determine to what extent the coordination in an anticipation-coincidence (AC) timing task is specific. Ten subjects performed an arm-raising movement from standing position in the reaction time, self-initiated (SI), and AC conditions. In the latter condition, subjects had to synchronize movement initiation or the end of the movement to the passage of a visual mobile on a target. In AC trials, time to contact (TC), which is the time before the mobile reached the target, was varied (720, 1,200, 3,000 ms). Electromyography, kinetic, and kinematics data were collected. Results showed that the coordination patterns were modified by TC, the velocity of the mobile, and the condition in which the movement was executed. It also showed that the behavior in the AC condition came closest to the 1 observed in SI condition when TC increased. These results support the existence of different control modes triggered by the temporal pressure.