Modulation of the palmar grasp behavior in neonates according to texture property

The study investigates the newborn's grasping behavior according to the tex ture property of an object 22 full term healthy newborns were tested with t heir right hand. Eleven babies were exposed to a first condition in which t he spontaneous manual activity on an object with a smooth texture was recor ded. Eleven babies were exposed to an another condition: they hold the very same object than those presented in the baseline condition except that thi n pearls were added on its surface, increasing its roughness. The results p rovide evidence for the existence of a modulation of hand activity accordin g to the texture property of the object. The nature of this modulatory capa city of the hand is discussed.