The brain uses efference copy information to optimise spatial memory

Does a motor response to a target improve the subsequent recall of the target position or can we simply use peripheral position information to guide an accurate response? We suggest that a motor plan of the hand can be enhanced with actual motor and efference copy feedback (GoGo trials), which is ab...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental brain research 2013, Vol.224 (2), p.189-197
Main Authors: Gonzalez, C. C., Burke, M. R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activities of daily living
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Brain - physiology
Decision Making
Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision
Eye Movements - physiology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hand
Human mechanics
Humans
Male
Memory - physiology
Mental Processes - physiology
Neurology
Neurosciences
Photic Stimulation
Physiological aspects
Psychological aspects
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Reaction Time - physiology
Research Article
Short-term memory
Space Perception - physiology
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Visual Fields
Young Adult
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Summary:Does a motor response to a target improve the subsequent recall of the target position or can we simply use peripheral position information to guide an accurate response? We suggest that a motor plan of the hand can be enhanced with actual motor and efference copy feedback (GoGo trials), which is absent in the passive observation of a stimulus (NoGo trials). To investigate this effect during eye and hand coordination movements, we presented stimuli in two formats (memory guided or visually guided) under three modality conditions (eyes only, hands only (with eyes fixated), or eyes and hand together). We found that during coordinated movements, both the eye and hand response times were facilitated when efference feedback of the movement was provided. Furthermore, both eye and hand movements to remembered locations were significantly more accurate in the GoGo than in the NoGo trial types. These results reveal that an efference copy of a motor plan enhances memory for a location that is not only observed in eye movements, but also translated downstream into a hand movement. These results have significant implications on how we plan, code and guide behavioural responses, and how we can optimise accuracy and timing to a given target.
ISSN:0014-4819
1432-1106
DOI:10.1007/s00221-012-3298-y