Visual feedback of the moving arm allows complete adaptation of pointing movements to centrifugal and Coriolis forces in human subjects.

A classical visuo-manual adaptation protocol carried out on a rotating platform was used to test the ability of subjects to adapt to centrifugal and Coriolis forces when visual feedback of the arm is manipulated. Three main results emerge: (a) an early modification of the initial trajectory of the movements takes place even without visual feedback of the arm; (b) despite the change in the initial trajectory, the new external force decreases the accuracy of the pointing movements when vision is precluded; (c) a visual adaptive phase allows complete adaptation of the pointing movements performed in a modified gravitoinertial field. Therefore vision would be essential for subjects to completely adapt to centrifugal and Coriolis forces. However, other sensory signals (i.e. vestibular and proprioceptive) may constitute the basis for early but partial correction of the pointing movements.