Abstract
Studies have suggested a left-hemisphere specialization for visually guided grasp-to-eat actions by way of task-dependent kinematic asymmetries (i.e., smaller maximum grip apertures for right-handed grasp-to-eat movements than for right-handed grasp-to-place movements or left-handed movements of either type). It is unknown, however, whether this left-hemisphere/right-hand kinematic advantage is reliant on the dorsal “vision-for-action” visual stream. The present study investigates the kinematic differences between grasp-to-eat and grasp-to place actions performance during closed-loop (i.e., dorsally mediated) and open-loop delay (i.e., ventrally mediated) conditions. Twenty-one right-handed adult participants were asked to reach to grasp small food items to (1) eat them, or (2) place them in a container below the mouth. Grasps were performed in both closed-loop and open-loop delay conditions, in separate sessions. We show that participants displayed the right-hand grasp-to-eat kinematic advantage in the closed-loop condition, but not in the open-loop delay condition. As no task-dependent kinematic differences were found in ventrally mediated grasps, we posit that the left-hemisphere/right-hand advantage is dependent on dorsal stream processing.
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Notes
During pilot testing, the open-loop delay condition viewing period was set at 1000 ms to match that of our closed-loop condition. However, participants expressed frustration at this seemingly short viewing period and blamed subsequent errors on its brevity; specifically, they would often knock the target off the pedestal, perform the movement with excessive slowness, and/or express that they were unable to even identify the target before the viewing period would end. We concluded that the viewing period was too brief, and added 500 ms. This elongated viewing period eliminated the majority of both trial errors and participant frustrations. While the difference in the viewing period length may have had a significant effect on reaction times, we consider this a necessary trade-off in exchange for consistently successful movements in the open-loop delay condition. In light of this confound, and because our participants were specifically instructed to “move at a comfortable pace, with an emphasis on accuracy, not speed,” we do not include analyses on reaction time in the current report.
“Secondary” referring here to the portion of the grasping movement occurring after target acquisition; we would argue that the grasp-to-throw movement, from initiation of the grasp, to grasp onset and target acquisition, to follow-through and target release, is a single unified movement, at least with respect to neural control.
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Beke, C., Flindall, J.W. & Gonzalez, C.L.R. Kinematics of ventrally mediated grasp-to-eat actions: right-hand advantage is dependent on dorsal stream input. Exp Brain Res 236, 1621–1630 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-018-5242-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-018-5242-2