Journal Article

FZJ-2026-04867

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Brain Dynamics Underlying Reaching Movements Under Uncertainty

Liu, N. (First author) ; Zabicki, A. ; Fink, G. R.FZJ* ; Mengotti, P.FZJ* ; Vossel, S. (Corresponding author)FZJ*

2026
Wiley-Liss New York, NY

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1002/hbm.70643  doi:10.34734/FZJ-2026-04867

Abstract: ABSTRACTMotor responses are influenced by inferred predictability, but it remains unclear how uncertainty, or its inverse, precision,is encoded within motor control networks. In this study, we combined computational modeling of reaching movement responsespeed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We used a cueing paradigm with changing cue predictability(~50%, ~70%, and ~90%) to test how predictive inference about left/right reaching responses affected cortical activityand network connectivity in 28 healthy young adults. Behavioral results showed that the response speed differences betweeninvalid and valid cueing increased with a higher model-derivedprobability that the cue will be valid. The fMRI resultsrevealed that activity in the bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS), the caudal part of dorsal premotor cortex (cPMd), and thecerebellum increased with higher uncertainty during valid trials. Moreover, the activation in the premotor cortex, bilateralinferior parietal lobe (IPL), IPS, and temporoparietal cortex was enhanced when reaching to invalidly cued targets (i.e., duringmotor reprogramming). Dynamic causal modeling revealed that uncertainty increased the connectivity from left to rightIPS, from left IPS to cPMd, and from cPMd to primary motor cortex (M1) during valid trials. Motor reprogramming duringinvalid trials increased the coupling between bilateral IPL and strengthened pathways from IPL to M1 and from IPS to PMd,while decreasing connectivity from right to left IPS. These findings provide the first evidence of uncertainty-dependentnetworkdynamics during reaching movements in the human brain and shed light on distinct neural mechanisms underlyingprecision-dependentmotor control and motor reprogramming, with potential implications for psychiatric and neurologicaldisorders characterized by aberrant precision control.

Note: This work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) (Project-ID 431549029—SFB 1451). Open access publication was funded by the DFG—491111487. We are grateful to all of our volunteers for participating in this study and to our colleagues from the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine for many valuable discussions. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Project-ID 431549029—SFB 1451).

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Kognitive Neurowissenschaften (INM-3)

Research Program(s):

1. 5251 - Multilevel Brain Organization and Variability (POF4-525) (POF4-525)
2. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)431549029 - SFB 1451 Schlüsselmechanismen normaler und krankheitsbedingt gestörter motorischer Kontrolle (431549029) (431549029)
3. DFG project G:(GEPRIS)491111487 - Open-Access-Publikationskosten / 2025 - 2027 / Forschungszentrum Jülich (OAPKFZJ) (491111487) (491111487)

Appears in the scientific report 2026

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