Action tunes body dimension in space: evidences from non-use and overuse
Finisguerra, Alessandra | Bassolino, Michela | Serino, Andrea | Pozzo, Thierry; International audience
''The role of action in space and body representations''
Bassolino, Michela | Finisguerra, Alessandra | Pozzo, Thierry; International audience
Dissociating effect of upper limb non-use and overuse on space and body representations.
Accurate and updated representations of the space where the body acts, i.e. the peripersonal space (PPS), and the location and dimension of body parts (body representation, BR) are essential to perform actions. Because both PPS and BR are involved in motor execution and display the same plastic proprieties after the use of a tool to reach far objects, it has been suggested that they overlap in a unique representation of the body in a space devoted to action. Here we determined whether manipulating actions in space, without modifying body metrics, i.e. through immobilization, induces a dissociation of the plastic properties of PPS and BR. In 39 healthy subjects we evaluated PPS and BR for th…