Online Movement Correction in Response to the Unexpectedly Perturbed Initial or Final Action Goals: An ERP and sLORETA Study

Abstract

In this experiment, we explored how unexpected perturbations in the initial (grip posture) and the final action goals (target position) influence movement execution and the neural mechanisms underlying the movement corrections. Participants were instructed to grasp a handle and rotate it to a target position according to a given visual cue. After participants started their movements, a secondary cue was triggered, which indicated whether the initial or final goals had changed (or not) while the electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. The results showed that the perturbed initial goals significantly slowed down the reaching action, compared to the perturbed final goals. In the event-related potentials (ERPs), a larger anterior P3 and a larger central-distributed late positivity (600–700 ms) time-locked to the perturbations were found for the initial than for the final goal perturbations. Source analyses found stronger left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) activations for the perturbed initial goals than for the perturbed final goals in the P3 time window. These findings suggest that perturbations in the initial goals have stronger interferences with the execution of grasp-to-rotate movements than perturbations in the final goals. The interferences seem to be derived from both inappropriate action inhibitions and new action implementations during the movement correction.

An Event-Related Potential Study on Differences Between Higher and Lower Easy of Learning Judgments: Evidence for the Ease-of-Processing Hypothesis

“…ERP grand averages were calculated for two conditions: high EOL and low EOL judgments (see Figure 2). Based on a previous study (Yu et al, 2021), the amplitude of the N400 component was quantified as the mean amplitude from 400 to 600 ms. The mean amplitudes of slow-wave potentials were measured and compared in 100 ms step windows.…”

“…It would be possible to discover which brain regions function to produce N400 from 400 to 600 ms. Slow-wave potentials have no specific peak or clear component (Rösler et al, 1997), and using 100 ms step windows for ERP analysis and source localization would be cautious. Thirdly, this study referred to the ERP and source analysis of Yu et al (2021), whose study focused on P3 and slow-wave components. They also use different time windows to measure the two components.…”

Neurons in Primary Motor Cortex Encode External Perturbations during an Orientation Reaching Task

“…Understanding what kind of strategies the brain utilizes to solve these issues is helpful for the realization of such aims, but the details still require extensive investigation. Traditionally, reactions to targeted perturbations have delivered a good panel for control strategies for motor systems [7][8][9][10], and perturbations have generally led to a number of meaningful insights into control issues. One of the examples would be the reflex responses that maintain an upright stance in the face of sudden and unpredictable translations of a support surface, including both spinal and long loop reflexes [11].…”