The point of no return in vetoing self-initiated movements

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jan 26;113(4):1080-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1513569112. Epub 2015 Dec 14.

Abstract

In humans, spontaneous movements are often preceded by early brain signals. One such signal is the readiness potential (RP) that gradually arises within the last second preceding a movement. An important question is whether people are able to cancel movements after the elicitation of such RPs, and if so until which point in time. Here, subjects played a game where they tried to press a button to earn points in a challenge with a brain-computer interface (BCI) that had been trained to detect their RPs in real time and to emit stop signals. Our data suggest that subjects can still veto a movement even after the onset of the RP. Cancellation of movements was possible if stop signals occurred earlier than 200 ms before movement onset, thus constituting a point of no return.

Keywords: brain–computer interface; free choice; point of no return; readiness potential; veto.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain-Computer Interfaces
  • Contingent Negative Variation / physiology*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Electromyography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Movement*