History Dependence of Freely Chosen Index Finger Tapping Rhythmicity

Abstract

Motor BehaviorMotor Control Plasticity Preferred Tapping Frequency Rhythmic MovementBackground: To test the following hypothesis. Initial submaximal tapping at preset relatively low and high target tapping rates causes a subsequent freely chosen tapping rate to be relatively low and high, respectively, as compared with a reference freely chosen tapping rate. Methods: Participants performed three 3-min bouts of submaximal index finger tapping on separate days. In one bout (C, considered reference), the rate was freely chosen, throughout. In another bout (A), initial tapping was performed at a relatively low target rate and followed by freely chosen tapping. In yet another bout (B), initial tapping was performed at a relatively high target rate, followed by freely chosen tapping. Results: At the end of bout A, the rate was 14.6±23.7% lower than the reference value during bout C (p = 0.023). At the end of bout B, the rate was similar to the rate during bout C (p = 0.804). Conclusions: Initial tapping at a preset relatively low target rate caused a subsequent freely chosen rate to be lower than a reference freely chosen rate. The observation was denoted a phenomenon of motor behavioural history dependence. Initial tapping at a preset relatively high target rate did not elicit history dependence.

A 5-Minute Rest Period Weakens the Phenomenon of History Dependence of Freely Chosen Pedalling Cadence and Entails a Borderland Observation

“…It should be noted that freely chosen index finger tapping rate has also been reported to be history-dependent (Nielsen et al, 2022). Thus, from a recent study, which was similar in design to the study by , it was reported that initial index finger tapping at a preset relatively low target rate caused a subsequent freely chosen rate to be on average about 15% lower than a reference freely chosen rate (Nielsen et al, 2022). Hence, the present, as well as previously observed, history dependence phenomenon for pedalling is not restricted to only that type of activity.…”