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Readiness potentials driven by non-motoric processes.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Alexander, P; Schlegel, A; Sinnott-Armstrong, W; Roskies, AL; Wheatley, T; Tse, PU
Published in: Consciousness and cognition
January 2016

An increase in brain activity known as the "readiness potential" (RP) can be seen over central scalp locations in the seconds leading up to a volitionally timed movement. This activity precedes awareness of the ensuing movement by as much as two seconds and has been hypothesized to reflect preconscious planning and/or preparation of the movement. Using a novel experimental design, we teased apart the relative contribution of motor-related and non-motor-related processes to the RP. The results of our experiment reveal that robust RPs occured in the absence of movement and that motor-related processes did not significantly modulate the RP. This suggests that the RP measured here is unlikely to reflect preconscious motor planning or preparation of an ensuing movement, and instead may reflect decision-related or anticipatory processes that are non-motoric in nature.

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Published In

Consciousness and cognition

DOI

EISSN

1090-2376

ISSN

1053-8100

Publication Date

January 2016

Volume

39

Start / End Page

38 / 47

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Volition
  • Movement
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Electrooculography
  • Electromyography
  • Electroencephalography
 

Citation

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Alexander, P., Schlegel, A., Sinnott-Armstrong, W., Roskies, A. L., Wheatley, T., & Tse, P. U. (2016). Readiness potentials driven by non-motoric processes. Consciousness and Cognition, 39, 38–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2015.11.011
Alexander, Prescott, Alexander Schlegel, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Adina L. Roskies, Thalia Wheatley, and Peter Ulric Tse. “Readiness potentials driven by non-motoric processes.Consciousness and Cognition 39 (January 2016): 38–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2015.11.011.
Alexander P, Schlegel A, Sinnott-Armstrong W, Roskies AL, Wheatley T, Tse PU. Readiness potentials driven by non-motoric processes. Consciousness and cognition. 2016 Jan;39:38–47.
Alexander, Prescott, et al. “Readiness potentials driven by non-motoric processes.Consciousness and Cognition, vol. 39, Jan. 2016, pp. 38–47. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.concog.2015.11.011.
Alexander P, Schlegel A, Sinnott-Armstrong W, Roskies AL, Wheatley T, Tse PU. Readiness potentials driven by non-motoric processes. Consciousness and cognition. 2016 Jan;39:38–47.
Journal cover image

Published In

Consciousness and cognition

DOI

EISSN

1090-2376

ISSN

1053-8100

Publication Date

January 2016

Volume

39

Start / End Page

38 / 47

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Volition
  • Movement
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Electrooculography
  • Electromyography
  • Electroencephalography