Learning context shapes bimanual control strategy and generalization of novel dynamics

Abstract

Bimanual movements are fundamental components of everyday actions, yet the underlying mechanisms coordinating adaptation of the two hands remains unclear. Although previous studies highlighted the contextual effect of kinematics of both arms on internal model formation, we do not know how the sensorimotor control system associates the learned memory with the experienced states in bimanual movements. More specifically, can, and if so, how, does the sensorimotor control system combine multiple states from different effectors to create and adapt a motor memory? Here, we tested motor memory formation in two groups with a novel paradigm requiring the encoding of the kinematics of the right hand to produce the appropriate predictive force on the left hand. While one group was provided with training movements in which this association was evident, the other group was trained on conditions in which this association was ambiguous. After adaptation, we tested the encoding of the learned motor memory by measuring the generalization to new movement combinations. While both groups adapted to the novel dynamics, the evident group showed a weighted encoding of the learned motor memory based on movements of the other (right) hand, whereas the ambiguous group exhibited mainly same (left) hand encoding in bimanual trials. Despite these differences, both groups demonstrated partial generalization to unimanual movements of the left hand. Our results show that motor memories can be encoded depending on the motion of other limbs, but that the training conditions strongly shape the encoding of the motor memory formation and determine the generalization to novel contexts. Author summaryUsing cutlery, buttoning up a shirt or cooking a meal requires precise coordination between two hands. These daily activities seem effortless, as they are based on well-adapted motor memories covering a wide space of experienced states. We demonstrate that the sensorimotor control system creates a motor memory of one limb using the experienced states of the other limb. Presentation of evident or ambiguous information about this relation between the two limbs shaped the bimanual control by changing the extent to which kinematic information of each arm which was used to control subsequent movements. Importantly, bimanual motor memories are only partially transferred to unimanual actions, likely engaging different neural processes. This has strong implications for rehabilitation techniques that employ bimanual training.