On-line corrections for visuomotor errors

This study was designed to determine how visual feedback mediates error corrections during reaching. We used visuomotor rotations to dissociate a cursor, representing finger position, from the actual finger location. We then extinguished cursor feedback at different distances from the start location to determine whether corrections were based on error extrapolation from prior cursor information. Results indicated that correction amplitude varied with the extent of cursor feedback. A second experiment tested specific aspects of error information that might mediate corrections to visuomotor rotations: rotation angle, distance between the finger and cursor positions and the duration of cursor exposure. Results showed that corrections did not depend on the amplitude of the rotation angle or the amount of time the cursor was shown. Instead, participants corrected for the cursor-finger distance, at the point where cursor feedback was last-seen. These findings suggest that within-trial corrections and inter-trial adaptation might employ different mechanisms.