Abstract
In daily life, object manipulation is usually performed concurrently to the execution of cognitive tasks. The aim of the present study was to determine which aspects of precision grip require cognitive resources using a motor-cognitive dual-task paradigm. Eighteen healthy participants took part in the experiment, which comprised two conditions. In the first condition, participants performed a motor task without any concomitant cognitive task. They were instructed to grip, lift and hold an apparatus incorporating strain gauges allowing a continuous measurement of the force perpendicular to each contact surface (grip force, GF) as well as the total tangential force applied on the object (load force, LF). In the second condition, participants performed the same motor task while concurrently performing a cognitive task consisting in a complex visual search combined with counting. In the dual-task condition, we found a significant increase in the duration of the preload phase (time between initial contact of the fingers with the apparatus and onset of the load force), as well as a significant increase of the grip force during the holding phase, indicating that the cognitive task interfered with the initial force scaling performed during the preload phase and the fine-tuning of grip force during the hold phase. These findings indicate that these aspects of precision grip require cognitive resources. In contrast, other aspects of the precision grip, such as the temporal coupling between grip and load forces, were not affected by the cognitive task, suggesting that they reflect more automatic processes. Taken together, our results suggest that assessing the dynamic and temporal parameters of precision grip in the context of a concurrent cognitive task may constitute a more ecological and better-suited tool to characterize motor dysfunction in patients.
Highlights
In everyday life, object manipulation is among the most common tasks we perform
We found that the grip force applied onto the object, as well as the delay separating the initial contact of the fingers with the object and the onset of the load force applied onto the object were increased in the dual-task condition, indicating that these two aspects of precision grip rely on cognitive processes
The objective of this study was to investigate cognitive-motor interference by assessing the interactions between a precision handgrip motor task and an unrelated cognitive task. This allowed us to examine the involvement of high-level cognitive resources in the performance of a common manual behaviour
Summary
Object manipulation is among the most common tasks we perform. Irrespective of the final goal, it generally involves grasping, lifting and holding objects. Visual cues provide information about most of the mechanical properties of the object (size, shape, etc.) that is useful to predict the forces required for successful manipulation [4]. Purposeful objects manipulation requires the ability to adapt in function of individual goals and environmental constraints [7]. Object manipulation is a complex task requiring integration of sensory, motor and cognitive systems [8,9]. Object manipulation in daily life is usually performed concurrently with other cognitive tasks such as attending a conversation or recalling a shopping list
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