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Sensorimotor processing during bimanual movements
Beneath receptors in our skin, muscles and joints, the prediction of the sensory consequences of our own movements by our brain determines the processing of sensory information during movement. The present study investigates if different two handed movements underlie a different processing of sensor
Keywords: Sensorimotor processing, bimanual movements, movement control, electromyography, neurophysiology, transcranial magnetic stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, cooperative hand movements
Two-handed movements can be performed with different levels of cooperation needed for a particular task. While in some movements each hand has its own goal (e.g. opening a drawer with one hand and taking out items with the other and) others require a precise cooperation (e.g. opening a bottle, winding up a blind, peeling a carrot) where both hands “feel” the cooperating partner. It could be that the perception of the other hand during cooperative hand movements changes the sensory processing. On the other hand, our brain is able to predict the consequences of our own movements and attenuates them (this is also why you can’t tickle yourself); This “sensory attenuation” is a method of the brain to diminish self-produced sensation and to enhance external sensations from the environment. It has been previously shown that cooperative and non-cooperative hand movements show a difference in sensorimotor control. However, we do not know whether this difference is of physiological (receptor activity) or predictive (sensory attenuation) nature.
To test this, we apply several neurophysiological methods including electroencephalography (EEG) electrical nerve stimulation, transcranial nerve stimulation (TMS) at the brain and electromyography (EMG) during different bimanual movements.
Two-handed movements can be performed with different levels of cooperation needed for a particular task. While in some movements each hand has its own goal (e.g. opening a drawer with one hand and taking out items with the other and) others require a precise cooperation (e.g. opening a bottle, winding up a blind, peeling a carrot) where both hands “feel” the cooperating partner. It could be that the perception of the other hand during cooperative hand movements changes the sensory processing. On the other hand, our brain is able to predict the consequences of our own movements and attenuates them (this is also why you can’t tickle yourself); This “sensory attenuation” is a method of the brain to diminish self-produced sensation and to enhance external sensations from the environment. It has been previously shown that cooperative and non-cooperative hand movements show a difference in sensorimotor control. However, we do not know whether this difference is of physiological (receptor activity) or predictive (sensory attenuation) nature. To test this, we apply several neurophysiological methods including electroencephalography (EEG) electrical nerve stimulation, transcranial nerve stimulation (TMS) at the brain and electromyography (EMG) during different bimanual movements.
The goal of the present study is to find out if different bimanual movements underlie a different sensorimotor processing.
The goal of the present study is to find out if different bimanual movements underlie a different sensorimotor processing.
Felix Thomas
Neural Control of Movement Lab
Department of Health Sciences & Technology
ETH Zürich
Email: felix.thomas@hest.ethz.ch
Felix Thomas Neural Control of Movement Lab Department of Health Sciences & Technology ETH Zürich Email: felix.thomas@hest.ethz.ch