Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 23, 2026
09:41
Estimation of Contact Regions Between Hands and Objects During Human Multi-Digit Grasping
Published on: April 21, 2023
2.2K
Unusual prism adaptation reveals how grasping is controlled
Willemijn D Schot1, Eli Brenner1, Jeroen Bj Smeets1
1Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Elife
|September 12, 2017
Summary
Human grasping is controlled by two goal-directed single-digit movements, not hand or wrist control. Adaptation during pointing transfers to grasping, supporting this new theory of hand movement control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Existing theories propose human grasping is controlled by either wrist or thumb movements.
- A novel theory suggests grasping combines two goal-directed single-digit movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test competing theories of human grasping control.
- To investigate the role of single-digit movements in grasping.
Main Methods:
- Examined the transfer of prism adaptation from single-digit pointing to grasping movements.
- Compared adaptation effects across different grasping theories' predictions.
Main Results:
- Adaptation acquired during single-digit pointing transferred to the hand opening component of grasping.
- Hand movement control during grasping remained unaffected by the adaptation.
Conclusions:
- Results strongly support the theory that grasping is a combination of two goal-directed single-digit movements.
- This challenges existing models focusing on wrist or thumb control for grasping.
