Multisensory-motor integration: the impact of sight and sound on reaching movements

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Overall my research focuses on how information from different senses (e.g., sight, sound) impacts how we prepare and perform motor skills. In many everyday situations it is necessary for humans to perform precise and efficient movements to objects in the environment. There are many classic and recent examples of the influence of visual information on the efficiency and accuracy of movement planning and execution. However, to date audio-visual multisensory research has been limited to perceptual decisions and simple motor responses such as a key press. A systematic exploration of the principles for multisensory-motor integration is needed because of the documented differences in how visual information is processed for perceptual versus motor tasks as well as the potential to improve motor learning and performance for anyone who is learning a motor skill. Thus, my research program seeks to develop a model to explain how healthy young adults integrate visual, auditory and proprioceptive information to perform reaching movements. I will conduct a series of experiments in which the perceptual information and the task demands are manipulated systematically. Detailed analyses of how the movements are performed will be measured using three-dimensional motion analysis (Optotrak 3D Investigator, Northern Digital Inc., Waterloo, Ontario). Analysis of performance measures, such as reaction time, movement time and movement accuracy, in conjunction with detailed trajectory analyses, will provide crucial insights into the underlying processes for multisensory-motor integration. My research will help determine the precise role auditory stimuli play in action preparation, and how changes in the accuracy of the typical sensory systems (i.e., vision, proprioception) impact the use of alternative sources of feedback, such as auditory stimuli. The findings from the proposed line of work are needed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of multisensory stimuli for motor performance. The results will improve how individuals learn to perform complex tasks in a wide range of contexts and enhance how patients with a neurological injury or disease re-learn movements.