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Selective reaching in macaques: evidence for action-centred attention.
Maria Bulgheroni1, Andrea Camperio-Ciani2, Elisa Straulino3
1Ab.Acus, Milan, Italy.
Animal Cognition
|December 20, 2016
Summary
Monkey reaching movements are influenced by nearby objects, even non-obstacles. This suggests attentional mechanisms and internal representations guide action selection in macaques, similar to humans.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Primate Behavior
- Motor Control
Background:
- Action selection is crucial for goal-directed movements.
- The influence of potential obstacles on action selection is not fully understood.
- Previous research suggests attentional mechanisms guide movement execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how potential obstacles affect the kinematics of reaching movements in macaques.
- To determine if macaques' action selection processes are influenced by the presence of nearby objects.
- To explore the role of attentional mechanisms in guiding reaching actions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of reaching movement kinematics in macaques.
- Comparison of reaching trajectories with and without potential obstacles (stones).
- Examination of temporal and spatial movement parameters.
Main Results:
- The presence of nearby stones altered reaching movement time and trajectory paths.
- Macaques' hands veered away from stones, even when not physical obstructions.
- Nearby objects elicited a motor response, influencing movement execution.
Conclusions:
- Potential obstacles evoke motor responses in macaques, influencing action selection.
- Attentional mechanisms, revealed in reaching paths, are critical for successful action selection.
- Findings suggest basic cognitive operations for action selection in macaques, aligning with human studies.
