Production of short timing responses: a comparative study with a deafferented patient.

How far can proprioception contribute to time keeping? To answer this question, a deafferented patient and neurologically normal subjects produced 1- or 5-sec durations in a sustained (continuous finger press) or discrete (two successive finger taps) manner, with and without Knowledge of Results. The findings were that: (1) proprioceptive afferents contribute to timing regulation in motor production of short durations; (2) this role can be rapidly compensated by Knowledge of Results; (3) the proprioceptive contribution is more important for sustained than for discrete performances; (4) stable performances are produced even when KR is withdrawn, suggesting familiarization with KR leads to the establishment of a mnemonic trace.