The Role of Visual Information Quantity in Fine Motor Performance.

Autor: Panconi G; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze, Italy., Sorgente V; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze, Italy., Guarducci S; Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze, Italy., Bravi R; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze, Italy., Minciacchi D; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Firenze, Italy.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology [J Funct Morphol Kinesiol] 2024 Dec 11; Vol. 9 (4). Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Dec 11.
DOI: 10.3390/jfmk9040267
Abstrakt: Background/objectives: Fine motor movements are essential for daily activities, such as handwriting, and rely heavily on visual information to enhance motor complexity and minimize errors. Tracing tasks provide an ecological method for studying these movements and investigating sensorimotor processes. To date, our understanding of the influence of different quantities of visual information on fine motor control remains incomplete. Our study examined how variations in the amount of visual feedback affect motor performance during handwriting tasks using a graphic pen tablet projecting on a monitor.
Methods: Thirty-seven right-handed young adults (20 to 35 years) performed dot-to-dot triangle tracing tasks under nine experimental conditions with varying quantities of visual cues. The conditions and triangle shape rotations were randomized to avoid motor training or learning effects. Motor performance metrics, including absolute error, time of execution, speed, smoothness, and pressure, were analyzed.
Results: As visual information increased, absolute error (from 6.64 mm to 2.82 mm), speed (from 99.28 mm/s to 57.19 mm/s), and smoothness (from 4.17 mm 2 /s 6 to 0.80 mm 2 /s 6 ) decreased, while time of execution increased (from 12.68 s to 20.85 s), reflecting a trade-off between accuracy and speed. Pressure remained constant across conditions (from 70.35 a.u. to 74.39). Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated a moderate to strong correlation between absolute error and time of execution across conditions. The Friedman test showed significant effects of experimental conditions on all motor performance metrics except for pressure, with Kendall's W values indicating a moderate to strong effect size.
Conclusion: These findings deepen our understanding of sensorimotor integration processes and could potentially have implications for optimizing motor skills acquisition and training and developing effective rehabilitation strategies.
Databáze: MEDLINE