Cooperation and Interference: An Investigation of Neural Crosstalk
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abstract
Three experiments were designed to understand the influence of neural crosstalk on bimanual coordination by investigating how and when the forces produced in one limb affect the forces produced in the contralateral limb when different muscle groups are used (Experiment I), different limbs are used to perform the faster frequency (Experiment II), and different force levels are required to achieve the goal coordination pattern (Experiment III). Participants were required to produce a pattern of isometric force with one limb that was coordinated with a pattern of isometric forces produced by the contralateral limb. Experiment I required participants to coordinate a 1:2 pattern of force with homologous or non-homologous muscles, Experiment II required participants to coordinate 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1 patterns of force, and Experiment III required participants to coordinate a 1:2 pattern of force with a force requirement of 5N for one limb while the contralateral limb produced 5, 15, or 25N of force. Lissajous feedback was provided to guide performance. In all three experiments, distortions in the force produced by the left limb that could be associated with the force produced by the right limb were observed. However, similar distortions in the force produced by the right limb occurred only when the left limb was performing a faster frequency (Experiment II) or produced more force (Experiment III). Observed distortions in both the right and left limbs indicate that neural crosstalk affects both limbs; however, it manifests differently for each limb depending upon the frequency or force requirements of the task.
