Memory-Guided Reaching: Is It Effortful?

Motor Control. 2022 Sep 27;27(2):194-216. doi: 10.1123/mc.2021-0136. Print 2023 Apr 1.

Abstract

We previously showed that perceived effort during visually guided reaching was altered as task demand varied. Further, self-reported subjective fatigue correlated with perceived effort and reach performance under visually guided conditions. Memory-guided reaching often leads to performance deterioration and can provide insights about the planning and control of reach actions. It is unclear how perceived effort changes during memory-guided reaching and whether self-reported subjective fatigue is associated with perceived effort of memory-guided reaching. Twenty-three young adults performed reach actions under visually- and memory-guided conditions. Perceived effort, reaction time, and endpoint error increased significantly from the visually- to the memory-guided condition. Self-reported subjective fatigue was associated with perceived effort and reach distance error during memory-guided reaching; those with higher levels of fatigue reported greater perceived effort and tended to reach farther when visual information was not available. These findings establish a foundation to examine relationships between subjective fatigue, perceived effort, and reach control.

Keywords: fatigue; movement planning; perceived effort.

MeSH terms

  • Fatigue*
  • Humans
  • Psychomotor Performance*
  • Reaction Time
  • Young Adult