Action planning

Description

Limb apraxia is a cognitive action disorder typically after left brain damage. It correlates strongly with increased action errors - e.g. hammering with a spoon instead of stirring with it-, delayed responses when initiating such purposeful actions or kinematic differences -e.g. producing smaller amplitudes with an otherwise mobile hand. Several impaired components may be the source for the complex picture of limb apraxia. The disorder needs to be deconstructed to identify rehabilitation approaches that may enhance improvement and increase independence in daily living. The goal of this project is to obtain preliminary data on a new research line within the field of limb apraxia and action planning.

A. Diagnostics: Disentangling the complexity of limb apraxia makes a battery of assessments necessary that looks at different types of action errors as well as deviations in kinematic aspects. We will compile different diagnostic tests for further standard use in our planned studies.

B. Fundamental Research: Rule- and plan-based actions occur in many everyday live situations. When the stop-light is red you press the brake, when it is green you accelerate, - this is one example of an action task involving rule retrieval. Next to tool-use, many other objectrelated actions are plan-based. For example, when you pull an oven door open/downwards at its handle you use prospective planning: instead of grasping the handle with a common pronated grip (palm down), you typically select a more awkward supinated grasp (palm up) to avoid ending up in an uncomfortable arm-twisting position. While both processes are highly important there has been a general lack of research on the differences between rule retrieval and prospective planning, - especially in cognitive action disorders. However, a comprehensive understanding of the neuropsychological details may have crucial effects on the capabilities and even recovery processes of patients with cognitive action disorders and may open new possibilities for effective therapy. We will adapt a previously developed rulelan paradigm to be applied in healthy adults and stroke patients.

Institutions
  • Department of Psychology
Further information
Period: 20.08.2014 – 31.12.2015