Control of hand shaping in response to object shape perturbation

• Published in: Experimental brain research Vol. 180; no. 1; pp. 85 - 96
• Main Authors: ANSUINI, Caterina, SANTELLO, Marco, TUBALDI, Federico, MASSACCESI, Stefano, CASTIELLO, Umberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.06.2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Applied physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanics; Female; Finger; Finger Joint - innervation; Form Perception; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Grasping; Hand; Hand Strength - physiology; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Kinematics; Male; Medical sciences; Metacarpal; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Reaction Time - physiology; Statistics as Topic; Task Performance and Analysis; Touch - physiology; Transports. Aerospace. Diving. Altitude; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Osteoarticular system; Human; Gripping; Thumb; Strategy; Perturbation; Joint; Hand
• ISSN: 0014-4819; 1432-1106
• DOI: 10.1007/s00221-006-0840-9

This study assessed how hand shaping responds to a perturbation of object shape. In blocked trials (80% of total), subjects were instructed to reach, to grasp and lift a concave or a convex object. In perturbed trials (20% of total), a rotating device allowed for the rapid change from the concave to the convex object or vice versa. In this situation subjects grasped the last presented object. Flexion/extension at the metacarpal-phalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints of all digits was measured by resistive sensors embedded in a glove. In the blocked condition we found that most joints of the fingers were modulated by the type of the to-be-grasped object during the reach. When object shape was perturbed, reach duration was longer and angular excursion of all fingers differed with respect to blocked trials. For the 'convex --> concave' perturbation, a greater degree of finger extension was found than during the blocked 'concave' trials. In contrast, for the 'concave --> convex' perturbation, fingers were more flexed than for the blocked 'convex' trials. The thumb reacted to the perturbation showing a similar pattern (i.e., over-flexion with respect to the blocked trials) regardless the 'direction' of the perturbation. The present results suggest that applying an object shape perturbation during a reach-to-grasp action determines a reorganization of all digits. This pattern is suggestive of a control strategy, which assigns to opposing digits different roles.