This study stemmed from the observation that the brain of human as well as
nonhuman primates is capable of forming and memorizing remarkably accurate
internal representations of the dynamics of the arm. These dynamics establi
sh a functional relation between applied force and ensuing arm motion, a re
lation that generally is quite complex and nonlinear. Current evidence show
s that the motor control system is capable of adapting to perturbing forces
that depend on motion variables such as position, velocity, and accelerati
on. The experiments we report here were aimed at establishing whether or no
t the motor system also may adapt to forces that depend explicitly on time
rather than on motion variables, Surprisingly, the experiments suggest a ne
gative answer. When asked to compensate for a predictable and repeated time
-varying pattern of disturbing forces, subjects learned to counteract the d
isturbance by producing forces that did not depend on time but on the veloc
ity and the position of the arm. We conclude from this evidence that time a
nd time-dependent dynamics are not explicitly represented within the neural
structures that lire responsible for motor adaptation. Although our findin
gs are not sufficient to rule out the presence of a timing structure within
the central nervous system, they are consistent with other investigations
that conspicuously failed to find evidence for such a central clock.