Premotor reaction time (PMT) of the reversal elbow extension—flexion as a function of response complexity

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to examine the qualitative aspects of the memory drum theory by using the simple reaction time (SRT) as a function of response complexity by means of elbow extension (unidirectional response; U-response) and extension-flexion (reversal response; R-response), and two additional variables; small (30°) and large (60°) distance. Some striking features of U-response compared to R-response were revealed; (1) premotor reaction times (PMTs) of the R-response were always longer than those of the U-response, (2) the duration of the initial agonist burst was longer not only for the large distance response but also for the R-response, (3) EMG onsets of the antagonist in the R-response and the large distance response were always later than those of the U-response and the small distance response. Those findings reported here allow us to conclude that there are two possibilities for the reason why changes occur in SRT between the simple and the complex response. One possibility is that there are different durations of the initial agonist burst and the second is that there are differences of EMG onset of the antagonist muscle.