UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Stimulation of PPC Affects the Mapping between Motion and Force Signals for Stiffness Perception But Not Motion Control

Leib, R; Mawase, F; Karniel, A; Donchin, O; Rothwell, J; Nisky, I; Davare, M; (2016) Stimulation of PPC Affects the Mapping between Motion and Force Signals for Stiffness Perception But Not Motion Control. Journal of Neuroscience , 36 (41) pp. 10545-10559. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1178-16.2016. Green open access

[thumbnail of 10545.full.pdf]
Preview
Text
10545.full.pdf - Published Version

Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

How motion and sensory inputs are combined to assess an object's stiffness is still unknown. Here, we provide evidence for the existence of a stiffness estimator in the human posterior parietal cortex (PPC). We showed previously that delaying force feedback with respect to motion when interacting with an object caused participants to underestimate its stiffness. We found that applying theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the PPC, but not the dorsal premotor cortex, enhances this effect without affecting movement control. We explain this enhancement as an additional lag in force signals. This is the first causal evidence that the PPC is not only involved in motion control, but also has an important role in perception that is disassociated from action. We provide a computational model suggesting that the PPC integrates position and force signals for perception of stiffness and that TMS alters the synchronization between the two signals causing lasting consequences on perceptual behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: When selecting an object such as a ripe fruit or sofa, we need to assess the object's stiffness. Because we lack dedicated stiffness sensors, we rely on an as yet unknown mechanism that generates stiffness percepts by combining position and force signals. Here, we found that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) contributes to combining position and force signals for stiffness estimation. This finding challenges the classical view about the role of the PPC in regulating position signals only for motion control because we highlight a key role of the PPC in perception that is disassociated from action. Altogether this sheds light on brain mechanisms underlying the interaction between action and perception and may help in the development of better teleoperation systems and rehabilitation of patients with sensory impairments.

Type: Article
Title: Stimulation of PPC Affects the Mapping between Motion and Force Signals for Stiffness Perception But Not Motion Control
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1178-16.2016
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1178-16.2016
Language: English
Additional information: This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided that the original work is properly attributed.
Keywords: PPC, cTBS, delay, perception, position control, stiffness
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Clinical and Movement Neurosciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1524693
Downloads since deposit
62Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item