Influence of Proprioceptive Inputs and Force Feedback Modality on Force Reproduction Performance

Abstract

The sense of force can be assessed using a force reproduction task (FRT), which consists of matching a target force with visual feedback (TARGET phase) and reproducing it without visual feedback (REPRODUCTION phase). We investigated the relevance of muscle proprioception during the TARGET phase (EXP1) and the influence of the sensory source used for the force feedback (EXP2). Accordingly, EXP1 compared the force reproduction error (RE) between trials with (LV) and without (NoLV) local tendon vibration applied on the first dorsal interosseous during the TARGET phase, while EXP2 compared RE between trials performed with visual (VISIO) or auditory (AUDIO) feedback. The FRT was performed with the index finger at 5% and 20% of the maximal force (MVC). RE was greater with LV compared with NoLV at 5% (p = 0.004) but not 20% MVC (p = 0.65). The involvement of muscle proprioception in RFT was further supported by the increase in RE with LV frequency (supplementary experiment). RE was greater for VISIO than AUDIO at 5% (p < 0.001) but not 20% MVC (p = 0.054). This study evidences the relevance of proprioceptive inputs during the target PHASE and the influence of the force feedback modality on RE, and thereby on the assessment of the sense of force.

Keywords:

• sense of force
• proprioception
• muscle afferents
• tendon vibration

Acknowledgments

The authors thanks Amina Kalli (MSc), Lena Georgieff (MSc), Bastien Vancampenhoudt (MSc), Marc Antoine Fabiani (MSc) and Hugo Di Mascio (MSc) for their assistance in data collection.

Statements and declarations

• The authors declare no competing financial interests.

• All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Alp Eşrefoğlu. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Alp Eşrefoğlu and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

• The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Mélanie Henry was supported by a grant of the ‘‘Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique – FRS-FNRS’’ of Belgium, and is currently supported by a grant from the “Belgian American Educational Foundation – BAEF”.