Spatial trajectories and reaction times of aimed movements: effects of practice, uncertainty, and change in target location

Journal of Neurophysiology - 1981-10-01Georgopoulos AP, Kalaska JF, Massey JT10.1152/jn.1981.46.4.725
Arm movements aimed at visual targets in space are common in the motor repertoire of primates. They lead to the acquisition of objects of interest, an indispensable function in everyday life. It is unknown how the visuospatial information concerning target location is used by the brain for the generation of aimed movements, nor is it known how the trajectories of these movements are formed or what factors influence them. Experimental studies in which the motion of the arm was restricted to a single joint (at the elbow) provided useful information on the possible mechanisms of the muscular actions by which targets could be reached.