Unilateral forelimb deafferentation in the monkey: purposive movement.

Monkeys with unilateral dorsal rhizotomy C2-T3 used their denervated limbs to retrieve unseen food pellets when movements of the intact contralateral limb were rendered ineffective by enclosure of the hand within a container. Even after protracted use in this condition, however, the deafferented limb ceased to be used in the test situation when the intact arm was released. These findings cast doubt on interpretations of lack of use of a unilaterally dorsal rhizotomized limb as being due to cross-spinal inhibition or to learned disuse.