Flexible Cognitive Strategies during Motor Learning

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1001096
• Publication Date: 2011-03-03T21:34:35Z
• Authors: Jordan A. Taylor; Richard B. Ivry
• Keywords: Set point; Internal model; Motor Learning; Motor Control; Motor System

Visuomotor rotation tasks have proven to be a powerful tool study adaptation of the motor system. While in such is seemingly automatic and incremental, participants may gain knowledge perturbation invoke compensatory strategy. When provided with an explicit strategy counteract rotation, are initially very accurate, even without on-line feedback. Surprisingly, further testing, angle their reaching movements drifts direction strategy, producing increase endpoint errors. This drift attributed gradual internal model that operates independently from at cost task accuracy. Here we identify constraints influence this process, allowing us explore models interaction between strategic implicit changes during visuomotor adaptation. phase was extended, eventually modified offset rise Moreover, when removed visual markers external landmarks support degree sharply attenuated. These effects accounted for by setpoint state-space which flexibly adjusted performance errors arising model. More generally, these results suggest processes operate many studies adaptation, arriving synergy plan sensorimotor