Da. Nowak et al., The effects of digital anaesthesia on predictive grip force adjustments during vertical movements of a grasped object, EUR J NEURO, 14(4), 2001, pp. 756-762
Grip force adjustments to fluctuations of inertial loads induced by vertica
l arm movements with a grasped object were analysed during normal and impai
red finger sensibility. Normally grip force is modulated in a highly econom
ical way in parallel with fluctuations of load force. Two subjects performe
d vertical up and down movements of a grasped object, both with normal fing
er sensibility and then cutaneously anaesthetized finger sensibility. Short
breaks were taken in between single movements, during which the object was
held stationary. After digital anaesthesia was applied to the grasping fin
gers, both subjects substantially increased the grip force. The grip force
amplitude and timing still anticipated changes in load force, although the
established grip force had already overcome movement-induced load force pea
ks. This implies that the increase of grip force and consequently the eleva
ted force ratio between maximum grip and maximum load force are not process
ed to alter the feedforward system of grip force control. Cutaneous afferen
t information from the grasping digits appears to be necessary for economic
scaling of the grip force level, but it plays a subordinate role in the pr
ecise anticipatory temporal coupling of grip and load forces during volunta
ry object manipulation.