Biology subjects

Cressman, E. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Cressman, E. K..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Perceptual versus motor awareness of explicit contributions to visuomotor adaptation

In the current experiment, we compared reported perceptual awareness of the visuomotor rotation to motor awareness of changes in reaches established using the process dissociation procedure and drawing task following visuomotor adaptation to a large (50 degrees; R50 group) or a small (30 degrees; R30 group) cursor rotation. Results revealed that perceptual and motor awareness did not differ in magnitude for the R50 group and were significantly correlated. In contrast, while the R30 group perceptually reported being aware of the visuomotor rotation, motor awareness was significantly less and responses were not significantly correlated across tasks. Overall, results suggest that perceptual and motor tasks assess different processes underlying visuomotor adaptation to a small cursor rotation, such that perceptual awareness of the visuomotor rotation is not reflected in reaching performance on tasks assessing motor awareness.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Savings and interference following learning to reach with mirror reversed feedback

Learning to reach with a visuomotor distortion has been shown to influence subsequent reaches with the same distortion and with a new distortion. Here, we examined whether learning to reach with a small 20{degrees} mirror reversed distortion leads to faster re-learning of the same distortion (i.e., demonstrates savings) and whether learning to reach with a mirror reversed distortion influences subsequent reaches with a 20{degrees} visuomotor rotation distortion. Thirty participants first learned to reach with the mirror reversed distortion. Following washout trials with aligned cursor feedback, 15 participants reached again with the mirror reversed distortion (MR-MR group), while the 15 other participants reached with a visuomotor rotation distortion (MR-VMR group). An additional twenty participants only reached with the visuomotor rotation distortion (VMR-only group). Implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious strategy) contributions to learning were assessed using the process dissociation procedure. Evidence of savings was evident in the MR-MR group, such that participants demonstrated reduced hand angles when re-introduced to the mirror reversed distortion. This savings was driven by explicit processes, consistent with the rapid retrieval of previously acquired task solutions. Additionally, learning to reach with the mirror reversed distortion interfered with learning to reach with the visuomotor rotation distortion, such that the MR-VMR group demonstrated increased reach variability and longer reaction times when reaching with the visuomotor rotation distortion compared to the VMR-only group. Reduced implicit contributions were also evident in the MR-VMR group compared to the VMR-only group. Together, results indicate that learning to reach with a mirror reversed distortion promotes savings and influences learning to reach with a visuomotor rotation distortion through engagement of explicit processes.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2026

Engagement of motor and perceptual awareness when learning to reach with mirror reversed feedback

In mirror reversed (MR) learning, the magnitude and direction of the visuomotor distortion varies with target location. To date, implicit (i.e., unconscious) processes have not been implicated in learning to reach with an MR distortion, even when the distortion is small in magnitude. Across two experiments, we examined whether explicit processes (i.e., motor and perceptual awareness of reaching strategies) are engaged when learning to reach with a small (20{degrees}) MR distortion and whether this learning generalizes to novel targets. Learning to reach with an MR distortion was compared to learning to reach with a small visuomotor rotation (VR), in which cursor feedback was rotated 20{degrees} relative to hand motion at each target. Participants in the MR group engaged both motor and perceptual awareness and learning to reach with the MR distortion generalized to novel targets. Participants in the VR group also learned to reach with the VR distortion but they did not engage either motor or perceptual awareness and there was no evidence of generalization. Reaction times were longer for the MR group compared to the VR group, consistent with engagement of explicit processes. Together, these findings suggest that learning to reach with an MR distortion is supported by motor and perceptual awareness that generalize to novel targets.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2025

Implicit processes do not contribute to learning to reach in small mirror reversed environments

Learning to reach with a small visuomotor rotation (VR; a rotation of visual feedback relative to hand motion) has been shown to arise unconsciously (i.e., implicitly). Whether the same processes support learning in a small mirror reversal (MR), where feedback is reflected across the body midline, remains unknown. To address this gap, we asked whether implicit processes contribute to learning in a small MR. Forty-two right-handed participants reached to targets located 10{degrees} to the left and right of body midline using a Kinarm exoskeleton robot. Half of the participants experienced a VR distortion (VR group), which consisted of a 20{degrees} clockwise or counterclockwise cursor rotation. The remaining participants experienced a 20{degrees} MR distortion (MR group), where cursor feedback was reflected across body midline (y-axis). Following reaches with a VR or MR distortion, participants completed assessment trials in which they reached in the absence of cursor feedback to assess implicit learning. Analysis of angular errors (AE) revealed that all participants in the VR group learned to reach with the VR distortion, however, only 55% of MR participants learned to reach with the MR distortion. AEs on the no-cursor trials revealed that only the VR group engaged in implicit learning. These findings demonstrate that MR learning, even when small MR distortions are introduced, is not supported by implicit learning. The absence of implicit learning in MR provides evidence that MR is a different form of learning (i.e., skill acquisition) compared to VR learning (i.e., motor adaptation).

biophysics↗