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Effect of Visual Information on Active Touch During Mirror Visual Feedback.
Narumi Katsuyama1,2, Eriko Kikuchi-Tachi1,2, Nobuo Usui1,2
1Department of Cognitive Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|November 9, 2018
Summary
Visual information influences active touch perception, similar to passive touch. Observing a mirrored hand during synchronous touch alters perceived hardness, demonstrating visual modulation of tactile sensation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Somatosensory research
Background:
- The rubber hand illusion (RHI) and mirror visual feedback (MVF) demonstrate that visual input can create a sense of ownership over a fake hand.
- Tactile perception is known to be modulated by visual information during these illusions, particularly under passive stimulation.
- Active touch, more common in daily life, has been less explored in the context of visual modulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether active touch perception, specifically hardness estimation, is modulated by visual information during a mirror visual feedback (MVF) scenario.
- To determine if synchronous or asynchronous active touch influences the degree of visual modulation on tactile perception.
- To explore the relationship between perceived hardness, hand ownership, and visual feedback during active touch.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-three participants performed synchronous active touch on a polyurethane pad with both hands while observing a mirror reflection.
- Participants estimated the hardness of the pad under varying visual feedback conditions (softer/harder mirrored pad).
- Control conditions included asynchronous touch and eyes-closed conditions to assess the necessity of synchronous visual-tactile input.
Main Results:
- Perceived hardness estimates were significantly biased towards the visual properties of the mirrored pad, even when the physical hardness remained constant.
- A strong correlation was found between perceived hardness and the finger displacement of the mirrored hand, not the hidden hand.
- The modulatory effect on perceived hardness and hand ownership diminished with asynchronous touch or when eyes were closed.
Conclusions:
- Active touch, like passive touch, is significantly modulated by visual input during mirror visual feedback.
- Synchronous visual-tactile stimulation is crucial for experiencing hand ownership and for the visual modulation of active touch perception.
- These findings highlight the integration of visual and proprioceptive information in shaping our tactile experiences and body representation.
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