An implicit plan overrides an explicit strategy during visuomotor adaptation
Open accessAbstract
The relationship between implicit and explicit processes during motor learning, and for visuomotor adaptation in particular, is poorly understood. We set up a conflict between implicit and explicit processes by instructing subjects to counter a visuomotor rotation using a cognitive strategy in a pointing task. Specifically, they were told the exact nature of the directional perturbation, a rotation that directed them 45 degrees counterclockwise from the desired target, and they were instructed to counter it by aiming for the neighboring clockwise target, 45 degrees away. Subjects were initially successful in completely negating the rotation with this strategy. Surprisingly, however, they were unable to sustain explicit control and made increasingly large errors to the desired target. The cognitive strategy failed because subjects simultaneously adapted unconsciously to the rotation to the neighboring target. Notably, the rate of implicit adaptation to the neighboring target was not significantly different from rotation adaptation in the absence of an opposing explicit strategy. These results indicate that explicit strategies cannot substitute for implicit adaptation to a visuomotor rotation and are in fact overridden by the motor planning system. This suggests that the motor system requires that planned and executed trajectories remain congruous in visual space, and enforces this correspondence even at the expense of an opposing explicit task goal.
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In a reaching task with a constant angular visuomotor rotation, an explicit strategy instructed in the second trial immediately restored task performance by minimizing end-point errors.
“In the second trial after introducing this visuomotor rotation, the subjects were instructed to change the aim of the movement to compensate for the visual perturbation. This explicit strategy immediately restored task performance by minimizing the end-point errors, defined as the angular distance between target and cursor.”
From Cerebellum, Predictions and Errors (2019) · cites this paper as Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006
In “Subjects failed to counter the rotation adaptation with an explicit strategy” (page unavailable), the strategy immediately reduced errors to near zero, but subjects were instructed only after two movements with the rotation, not in the second trial. The same section reports that errors subsequently increased, so the restored performance was temporary. “Data analysis” (page unavailable) defines the measured directional error using target and hand directions, rather than target and cursor directions. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredVisuomotor adaptation of reaching movement is a form of implicit motor learning that relies on the updating of a forward model through sensory prediction error.
“Visuomotor adaptation of reaching movement is a form of implicit motor learning that relies on the updating of a forward model through sensory prediction error (sPE).”
From The Forward Model: A Unifying Theory for the Role of the Cerebellum in Motor Control and Sense of Agency (2021) · cites this paper as Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006
The Introduction calls adaptation to visuomotor rotation a form of implicit motor learning. The Discussion proposes that a mismatch between a forward model’s predicted trajectory and visual feedback drives implicit adaptation, but it does not say that adaptation updates the forward model itself. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn subsequent trials after an explicit strategy, end-point errors gradually increased, reflecting normal motor adaptation during visuomotor rotation.
“However, in subsequent trials end-point errors gradually increased, reflecting the normal motor adaptation that occurs during visuomotor rotation (Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006; Figure 1B).”
From Cerebellum, Predictions and Errors (2019) · cites this paper as Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006
Adaptation is an automatic, obligate, perhaps reward-indifferent, cerebellar-based learning process.
“It appears, therefore, that adaptation is “automatic” – it is an obligate, perhaps reward-indifferent (Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006), cerebellar-based (Martin et al., 1996a, b; Smith and Shadmehr, 2005; Tseng et al., 2007) learning process that will attempt to”
From Rethinking motor learning and savings in adaptation paradigms: model-free memory for successful actions combines with internal models (2011) · cites this paper as Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006
Adaptation to rotation occurs despite conflicting with explicit task goals.
“For example, in a previous study we showed that adaptation to rotation occurs despite conflicting with explicit task goals (Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006).”
From Rethinking motor learning and savings in adaptation paradigms: model-free memory for successful actions combines with internal models (2011) · cites this paper as Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006
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“Both eye and limb movement studies suggest sensory prediction errors are the critical signals that drive motor adaptation, not the actual motor corrections (Wallman and Fuchs, 1998; Noto and Robinson, 2001; Mazzoni and Krakauer, 2006; Tseng et al., 2007).”
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- Authors
- Mazzoni, P., & Krakauer, J. W.
- Affiliations
- Columbia University (US)
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center (US)
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2006-04-05
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 14
- Pages
- 3642-3645
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC6674132
- OpenAlex
- W2016154932
- Cited by
- 833
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 46 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 66 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 70 · 2020: 63 · 2019: 51 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 5.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (K02NS048099)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Keywords
- visuomotor adaptation, implicit motor learning, explicit strategies, motor planning, visuomotor rotation, pointing task, motor control
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adult, Cognition, Discrimination Learning, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Skills, Movement, Neuronal Plasticity, Task Performance and Analysis, Visual Perception
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