Correlations between executive functions and adaptation to incrementally increasing sensorimotor discordances

A previous study reported that movement directions adapt much better to 60 degrees target displacements (double steps) when target displacements are introduced incrementally and not abruptly. The present study tested whether incremental adaptation to 60 degrees discordances can be explained by specific cognitive abilities. The results showed that an increase of discordance size during adaptation enhanced reaction times. Furthermore, the individual performance in neuropsychological tests measuring sustained attention, figural fluency and perseveration predicted the rate of adaptation at different discordance sizes. These results are discussed with reference to recent models on directional selectivity and modularity during visually guided reaching.