The role of somatosensation in automatic visuo-motor control: a comparison of congenital and acquired sensory loss.

ABSTRACT: Studies of chronically deafferented participants have illuminated how regaining some motor control after adult-onset loss of proprioceptive and touch input depends heavily on cognitive control. In this study we contrasted the performance of one such man, IW, with KS, a woman born without any somatosensory fibres. We postulated that her life-long absence of proprioception and touch might have allowed her to automate some simple visually-guided actions, something IW appears unable to achieve. We tested these two, and two age-matched control groups, on writing and drawing tasks performed with and without an audio-verbal echoing task that added a cognitive demand. In common with other studies of skilled action, the dual task was shown to affect visuo-motor performance in controls, with less we

SUBMITTER: Miall RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8282580 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature