Tactile contribution extends beyond exteroception during spatially guided finger movements.

ABSTRACT: Traditionally, touch is associated with exteroception and is rarely considered a relevant sensory cue for controlling movements in space, unlike vision. We developed a technique to isolate and measure tactile involvement in controlling sliding finger movements over a surface. Young adults traced a 2D shape with their index finger under direct or mirror-reversed visual feedback to create a conflict between visual and somatosensory inputs. In this context, increased reliance on somatosensory input compromises movement accuracy. Based on the hypothesis that tactile cues contribute to guiding hand movements when in contact with a surface, we predicted poorer performance when the participants traced with their bare finger compared to when their tactile sensation was dampened by a smooth, rigid

SUBMITTER: Vlachou ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12041493 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature