Citation

Berniker M, Mirzaei Buini H, Körding K. J. Neurophysiol. 2014; 112(11): 2791-2798.

Affiliation

Northwestern.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, American Physiological Society)

DOI

10.1152/jn.00615.2013

PMID

25210163

Abstract

To generate new movements, we have to generalize what we have learned from previously practiced movements. An important question, therefore, is how the breadth of training affects generalization: does practicing a broad or narrow range of movements lead to better generalization? We address this question with a force field learning experiment. One group adapted while making many reaches in a small region (narrow group), and another group adapted while making reaches in a large region (broad group). Subsequently, both groups were tested for their ability to generalize without visual feedback. Not surprisingly the narrow group exhibited smaller adaptation errors, yet they did not generalize any better than the broad group. Path errors during generalization were indistinguishable across the two groups, while the broad group exhibited reduced terminal errors. These findings indicate that overall, practicing a variety of movements is advantageous for performance during generalization; movement paths are not hindered, and terminal errors are superior. Moreover, the evidence suggests a dissociation between the ability to generalize information about a novel dynamic disturbance, which generalizes narrowly, and the ability to accurately locate the limb in space, which generalizes broadly.

Language: en