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Updated: Jul 24, 2026

The Structure of Skilled Forelimb Reaching in the Rat: A Movement Rating Scale
Published on: August 8, 2008
Upper limb movement differentiation according to taxonomic semantic category
K M Bennett1, J I Thomas, C Jervis
1Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract:
The size or shape of an object, its perceptual features, determine the patterning of an arm and hand action involving that object. Little is known about the role played by the taxonomic semantic attributes of an object for perceptuomotor processing. In this study we investigated whether the semantic relationship between two target stimuli influences the kinematics of a bilateral reach-to-grasp action. The results showed that reach-to-grasp movements preceding the action of putting living-thing pairs together were faster, and showed earlier settings of reach and grasp temporal parameters, than movements involving pairs of non-living things. It is hypothesized that this reflects the recruitment of different categorical perceptuomotor pathways.
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