Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Different control strategies drive interlimb differences in performance and adaptation during reaching movements in novel dynamics

View ORCID ProfileDavid Córdova Bulens, Tyler Cluff, Laurent Blondeau, Robert T. Moore, Philippe Lefèvre, Frédéric Crevecoeur
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.11.516159
David Córdova Bulens
1University College Dublin, Dublin,
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for David Córdova Bulens
  • For correspondence: david.cordovabulens@ucd.ie
Tyler Cluff
2Faculty of Kinesiology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Laurent Blondeau
3Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM), Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Robert T. Moore
4Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Philippe Lefèvre
3Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM), Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
5Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Frédéric Crevecoeur
3Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics (ICTEAM), Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
5Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: frederic.crevecoeur@uclouvain.be
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Humans exhibit lateralization such that most individuals typically show a preference for using one arm over the other for a range of movement tasks. The computational aspects of movement control leading to these differences in skill are not yet understood. It has been hypothesized that the dominant and non-dominant arms differ in terms of the use of predictive or impedance control mechanisms. However, previous studies present confounding factors that prevented clear conclusions: either the performances were compared across two different groups, or in a design in which asymmetrical transfer between limbs could take place. To address these concerns, we studied a reach adaptation task during which healthy volunteers performed movements with their right and left arms in random order. We performed two experiments. Experiment 1 (18 participants) focused on adaptation to the presence of a perturbing force field and Experiment 2 (12 participants) focused on rapid adaptations in feedback responses. The randomization of the left and right arm led to simultaneous adaptation, allowing us to study lateralization in single individuals with symmetrical and minimal transfer between limbs. This design revealed that participants were able to adapt control of both arms, and that adaptation was greater in the dominant arm than in the non-dominant. We also observed that the non-dominant arm showed a different control strategy compatible with robust control when adapting to the force field perturbation. EMG data showed that these differences in control were not caused by differences in co-contraction across the arms. Thus, instead of assuming differences in predictive or reactive control schemes, our data show that in the context of optimal control, both arms can adapt, and that the non-dominant arm uses a more robust, model-free strategy likely to compensate for less accurate internal representations of movement dynamics.

Significance statement We studied a reach adaptation task during which volunteers performed the task with their right and left arm randomly. The randomization of the arms allowed us to study lateralization in single individuals with symmetrical and minimal transfer between limbs. We observed a slightly greater adaptation of the dominant arm in the force applied to counter the perturbation. Moreover, the non-dominant arm showed a more robust control strategy when adapting to the force field perturbation, which enabled similar deviations despite faster movements. These interlimb differences were not caused by differences in co-contraction across the two arms. Our results suggest that both arms can adapt to the presence of a force field but the non-dominant arm uses a more robust, model-free strategy.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted November 13, 2022.
Download PDF
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Different control strategies drive interlimb differences in performance and adaptation during reaching movements in novel dynamics
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Different control strategies drive interlimb differences in performance and adaptation during reaching movements in novel dynamics
David Córdova Bulens, Tyler Cluff, Laurent Blondeau, Robert T. Moore, Philippe Lefèvre, Frédéric Crevecoeur
bioRxiv 2022.11.11.516159; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.11.516159
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Different control strategies drive interlimb differences in performance and adaptation during reaching movements in novel dynamics
David Córdova Bulens, Tyler Cluff, Laurent Blondeau, Robert T. Moore, Philippe Lefèvre, Frédéric Crevecoeur
bioRxiv 2022.11.11.516159; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.11.516159

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Neuroscience
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (4079)
  • Biochemistry (8750)
  • Bioengineering (6467)
  • Bioinformatics (23314)
  • Biophysics (11719)
  • Cancer Biology (9135)
  • Cell Biology (13227)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (7404)
  • Ecology (11360)
  • Epidemiology (2066)
  • Evolutionary Biology (15078)
  • Genetics (10390)
  • Genomics (14001)
  • Immunology (9109)
  • Microbiology (22025)
  • Molecular Biology (8773)
  • Neuroscience (47317)
  • Paleontology (350)
  • Pathology (1419)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2480)
  • Physiology (3701)
  • Plant Biology (8044)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1427)
  • Synthetic Biology (2206)
  • Systems Biology (6009)
  • Zoology (1247)