Arbitrary visuomotor mapping in the grip-lift task: dissociation of performance deficits in right and left middle cerebral artery stroke

The ability to rapidly establish a memory link between arbitrary sensory cues and goal-directed movements is part of our daily motor repertoire. It is unknown if this ability is affected by middle cerebral artery stroke. Eighteen right-handed subjects with a first unilateral middle cerebral artery stroke were studied while performing a precision grip to lift objects of different weights. In a “no cue” condition, a noninformative neutral visual stimulus was presented before each lift, thereby not allowing any judgment about the object weight. In a “cue” condition arbitrary color cues provided advance information about the weight to be lifted in the subsequent trial. Subjects performed both conditions with either hand. During “no cue” trials subjects scaled their grip force according to the weight of the preceding lift, irrespective of the hand performing the lift or the hemisphere affected. The presentation of color cues allowed patients with right hemispheric stroke, but not those with left hemispheric stroke, to scale their grip force according to the weight in the upcoming lift when lifting the weight with the unaffected hand. Color cues did not allow for a predictive scaling of grip force according to the weight of the object to be lifted when lifting with the affected hand, irrespective of the affected hemisphere. These data imply that the ability of visuomotor mapping in the grip-lift task is selectively impaired in the affected hand after right middle cerebral artery stroke, but in both hands after left middle cerebral artery stroke.

▶Linking a color cue to a specific weight to be lifted is called visuomotor mapping. ▶Stroke of either hemisphere deteriorates visuomotor mapping at the affected hand. ▶Stroke of the left hemisphere hampers visuomotor mapping at both hands.