Higher visual gain contributions to bilateral motor synergies and force control

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of altered visual gain levels on bilateral motor synergies determined by the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis and force control. Twelve healthy participants performed bimanual index finger abduction force control tasks at 20% of their maximal voluntary contraction across four different visual gain conditions: 8, 80, 256, and 512 pixels/N. Quantifying force accuracy and variability within a trial provided a bimanual force control outcome. The UCM analysis measured bilateral motor synergies, a proportion of good variance to bad variance across multiple trials. Correlation analyses determined whether changes in the UCM variables were related to changes in force control variables from the lowest to highest visual gain conditions, respectively. Multiple analyses indicated that the three highest visual gain conditions in comparison to the lowest visual gain increased values of bilateral motor synergies and target force accuracy. The correlation findings showed that a reduction of bad variance from the lowest to three highest visual gain conditions was related to increased force accuracy. These findings reveal that visual gain greater than 8 pixels/N facilitates bimanual force control.