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Jäger AP, Bailey A, Huntenburg JM, Tardif CL, Villringer A, Gauthier CJ, Nikulin V, Bazin P, Steele CJ. Decreased long-range temporal correlations in the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal reflect motor sequence learning up to 2 weeks following training. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26539. [PMID: 38124341 PMCID: PMC10915743 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Decreased long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) in brain signals can be used to measure cognitive effort during task execution. Here, we examined how learning a motor sequence affects long-range temporal memory within resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging signal. Using the Hurst exponent (HE), we estimated voxel-wise LRTC and assessed changes over 5 consecutive days of training, followed by a retention scan 12 days later. The experimental group learned a complex visuomotor sequence while a complementary control group performed tightly matched movements. An interaction analysis revealed that HE decreases were specific to the complex sequence and occurred in well-known motor sequence learning associated regions including left supplementary motor area, left premotor cortex, left M1, left pars opercularis, bilateral thalamus, and right striatum. Five regions exhibited moderate to strong negative correlations with overall behavioral performance improvements. Following learning, HE values returned to pretraining levels in some regions, whereas in others, they remained decreased even 2 weeks after training. Our study presents new evidence of HE's possible relevance for functional plasticity during the resting-state and suggests that a cortical subset of sequence-specific regions may continue to represent a functional signature of learning reflected in decreased long-range temporal dependence after a period of inactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna‐Thekla P. Jäger
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB)Charité—Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Brain Language LabFreie Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Alexander Bailey
- Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Julia M. Huntenburg
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Max Planck Institute for Biological CyberneticsTuebingenGermany
| | - Christine L. Tardif
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringMcGill UniversityMontrealQuébecCanada
- Montreal Neurological InstituteMontrealQuébecCanada
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB)Charité—Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Clinic for Cognitive NeurologyLeipzigGermany
- Leipzig University Medical Centre, IFB Adiposity DiseasesLeipzigGermany
- Collaborative Research Centre 1052‐A5University of LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Claudine J. Gauthier
- Department of Physics/School of HealthConcordia UniversityMontrealQuébecCanada
- Montreal Heart InstituteMontrealQuébecCanada
| | - Vadim Nikulin
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
| | - Pierre‐Louis Bazin
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral SciencesUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Christopher J. Steele
- Department of NeurologyMax Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Department of Psychology/School of HealthConcordia UniversityMontrealQuébecCanada
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Stiers P, Goulas A. Task-specific subnetworks extend from prefrontal cortex to striatum. Cortex 2022; 156:106-125. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Aznárez-Sanado M, Eudave L, Martínez M, Luis EO, Villagra F, Loayza FR, Fernández-Seara MA, Pastor MA. Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity Patterns Associated With Fast and Slow Motor Sequence Learning in Late Middle Adulthood. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:778201. [PMID: 35095468 PMCID: PMC8792532 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.778201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain undergoes structural and functional changes across the lifespan. The study of motor sequence learning in elderly subjects is of particularly interest since previous findings in young adults might not replicate during later stages of adulthood. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study assessed the performance, brain activity and functional connectivity patterns associated with motor sequence learning in late middle adulthood. For this purpose, a total of 25 subjects were evaluated during early stages of learning [i.e., fast learning (FL)]. A subset of these subjects (n = 11) was evaluated after extensive practice of a motor sequence [i.e., slow learning (SL) phase]. As expected, late middle adults improved motor performance from FL to SL. Learning-related brain activity patterns replicated most of the findings reported previously in young subjects except for the lack of hippocampal activity during FL and the involvement of cerebellum during SL. Regarding functional connectivity, precuneus and sensorimotor lobule VI of the cerebellum showed a central role during improvement of novel motor performance. In the sample of subjects evaluated, connectivity between the posterior putamen and parietal and frontal regions was significantly decreased with aging during SL. This age-related connectivity pattern may reflect losses in network efficiency when approaching late adulthood. Altogether, these results may have important applications, for instance, in motor rehabilitation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite Aznárez-Sanado
- School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Luis Eudave
- School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Martín Martínez
- School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elkin O. Luis
- School of Education and Psychology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Federico Villagra
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
| | - Francis R. Loayza
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Production Sciences (FIMCP), Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - María A. Fernández-Seara
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Radiology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María A. Pastor
- Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
- School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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Kostorz K, Flanagin VL, Glasauer S. Synchronization between instructor and observer when learning a complex bimanual skill. Neuroimage 2020; 216:116659. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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Berlot E, Popp NJ, Diedrichsen J. A critical re-evaluation of fMRI signatures of motor sequence learning. eLife 2020; 9:e55241. [PMID: 32401193 PMCID: PMC7266617 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite numerous studies, there is little agreement about what brain changes accompany motor sequence learning, partly because of a general publication bias that favors novel results. We therefore decided to systematically reinvestigate proposed functional magnetic resonance imaging correlates of motor learning in a preregistered longitudinal study with four scanning sessions over 5 weeks of training. Activation decreased more for trained than untrained sequences in premotor and parietal areas, without any evidence of learning-related activation increases. Premotor and parietal regions also exhibited changes in the fine-grained, sequence-specific activation patterns early in learning, which stabilized later. No changes were observed in the primary motor cortex (M1). Overall, our study provides evidence that human motor sequence learning occurs outside of M1. Furthermore, it shows that we cannot expect to find activity increases as an indicator for learning, making subtle changes in activity patterns across weeks the most promising fMRI correlate of training-induced plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Berlot
- The Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western OntarioOntarioCanada
| | - Nicola J Popp
- The Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western OntarioOntarioCanada
| | - Jörn Diedrichsen
- The Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western OntarioOntarioCanada
- Department of Computer Science, University of Western OntarioOntarioCanada
- Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, University of Western OntarioOntarioCanada
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A positive influence of basal ganglia iron concentration on implicit sequence learning. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:735-749. [PMID: 32055981 PMCID: PMC7046582 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02032-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Iron homeostasis is important for maintaining normal physiological brain functioning. In two independent samples, we investigate the link between iron concentration in the basal ganglia (BG) and implicit sequence learning (ISL). In Study 1, we used quantitative susceptibility mapping and task-related fMRI to examine associations among regional iron concentration measurements, brain activation, and ISL in younger and older adults. In Study 2, we examined the link between brain iron and ISL using a metric derived from fMRI in an age-homogenous sample of older adults. Three main findings were obtained. First, BG iron concentration was positively related to ISL in both studies. Second, ISL was robust for both younger and older adults, and performance-related activation was found in fronto-striatal regions across both age groups. Third, BG iron was positively linked to task-related BOLD signal in fronto-striatal regions. This is the first study investigating the relationship among brain iron accumulation, functional brain activation, and ISL, and the results suggest that higher brain iron concentration may be linked to better neurocognitive functioning in this particular task.
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Guidetti G, Guidetti R, Manfredi M, Manfredi M, Lucchetta A, Livio S. Saccades and driving. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 39:186-196. [PMID: 31131838 PMCID: PMC6536025 DOI: 10.14639/0392-100x-2176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Driving is not only a physical task, but is also a mental task. Visual inputs are indispensable in scanning the road, communicating with other road users and monitoring in-vehicle devices. The probability to detect an object while driving (conspicuity) is very important for assessment of driving effectiveness, and correct choice of information relevant to the safety of driving determines the efficiency of a driver. Accordingly, eye fixation and eye movements are essential for attention and choice in decision making. Saccades are the most used and effective means of maintaining a correct fixation while driving. In order to identify the features of the most predisposed subjects at high driving performances and those of the high-level sportsmen, we used a special tool called Visual Exploration Training System. We evaluated by saccade and attentional tests various groups of ordinary drivers, past professional racing drivers, professional truck drivers and professional athletes. Males have faster reaction time compared to females and an age below 30 seems to guarantee better precision of performance and accuracy in achieving all visual targets. The effect on physical activity and sports is confirmed. The performances of the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) selected students who were significantly better than those of a group of aspiring students and amateur racing drivers probably thanks to individual predisposition, training and so-called ‘neural efficiency’.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Guidetti
- Vertigo Center, Poliambulatorio Chirurgico Modenese, Modena, Italy
| | - R Guidetti
- Vertigo Center, Poliambulatorio Chirurgico Modenese, Modena, Italy
| | | | - Marco Manfredi
- Vertigo Center, Poliambulatorio Chirurgico Modenese, Modena, Italy
| | | | - S Livio
- Professional Motor Coach, Modena, Italy
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Tavor I, Botvinik‐Nezer R, Bernstein‐Eliav M, Tsarfaty G, Assaf Y. Short-term plasticity following motor sequence learning revealed by diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:442-452. [PMID: 31596547 PMCID: PMC7267908 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Current noninvasive methods to detect structural plasticity in humans are mainly used to study long-term changes. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was recently proposed as a novel approach to reveal gray matter changes following spatial navigation learning and object-location memory tasks. In the present work, we used diffusion MRI to investigate the short-term neuroplasticity that accompanies motor sequence learning. Following a 45-min training session in which participants learned to accurately play a short sequence on a piano keyboard, changes in diffusion properties were revealed mainly in motor system regions such as the premotor cortex and cerebellum. In a second learning session taking place immediately afterward, feedback was given on the timing of key pressing instead of accuracy, while participants continued to learn. This second session induced a different plasticity pattern, demonstrating the dynamic nature of learning-induced plasticity, formerly thought to require months of training in order to be detectable. These results provide us with an important reminder that the brain is an extremely dynamic structure. Furthermore, diffusion MRI offers a novel measure to follow tissue plasticity particularly over short timescales, allowing new insights into the dynamics of structural brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Tavor
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Affiliated to the Sackler School of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Sagol School of NeuroscienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Rotem Botvinik‐Nezer
- Sagol School of NeuroscienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life SciencesTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Michal Bernstein‐Eliav
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Sagol School of NeuroscienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Galia Tsarfaty
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Affiliated to the Sackler School of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Yaniv Assaf
- Sagol School of NeuroscienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life SciencesTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
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Pinsard B, Boutin A, Gabitov E, Lungu O, Benali H, Doyon J. Consolidation alters motor sequence-specific distributed representations. eLife 2019; 8:e39324. [PMID: 30882348 PMCID: PMC6461441 DOI: 10.7554/elife.39324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies investigating the acquisition of sequential motor skills in humans have revealed learning-related functional reorganizations of the cortico-striatal and cortico-cerebellar motor systems accompanied with an initial hippocampal contribution. Yet, the functional significance of these activity-level changes remains ambiguous as they convey the evolution of both sequence-specific knowledge and unspecific task ability. Moreover, these changes do not specifically assess the occurrence of learning-related plasticity. To address these issues, we investigated local circuits tuning to sequence-specific information using multivariate distances between patterns evoked by consolidated or newly acquired motor sequences production. The results reveal that representations in dorsolateral striatum, prefrontal and secondary motor cortices are greater when executing consolidated sequences than untrained ones. By contrast, sequence representations in the hippocampus and dorsomedial striatum becomes less engaged. Our findings show, for the first time in humans, that complementary sequence-specific motor representations evolve distinctively during critical phases of skill acquisition and consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basile Pinsard
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie BiomédicaleSorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERMParisFrance
- Functional Neuroimaging UnitCentre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de MontréalMontrealCanada
| | - Arnaud Boutin
- Functional Neuroimaging UnitCentre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de MontréalMontrealCanada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological InstituteMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Ella Gabitov
- Functional Neuroimaging UnitCentre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de MontréalMontrealCanada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological InstituteMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Ovidiu Lungu
- Functional Neuroimaging UnitCentre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de MontréalMontrealCanada
| | - Habib Benali
- Laboratoire d’Imagerie BiomédicaleSorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERMParisFrance
- PERFORM CentreConcordia UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Julien Doyon
- Functional Neuroimaging UnitCentre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de MontréalMontrealCanada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological InstituteMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological InstituteMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
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Kang KD, Han DH, Kim SM, Bae S, Renshaw PF. The Correlation Between Cognitive and Movement Shifting and Brain Activity in Children With ADHD. J Atten Disord 2018; 22:661-670. [PMID: 27866154 DOI: 10.1177/1087054716677816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We assessed the correlation between the deficits of cognition, movement, and brain activity in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactvity Disorder (ADHD). METHOD We recruited 15 children with ADHD and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy control participants. Clinical symptoms, cognitive shifting, movement shifting, and brain activity were assessed using the Korean ADHD Rating Scale, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the 7- and 14-ring drill test with hop jumps (7 HJ and 14 HJ), and 3.0 Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner, respectively. RESULTS ADHD children showed an increased distance traveled and decreased speed on the 14 HJ task. In response to the WCST task, ADHD children showed decreased activation within right gyrus. Total distance on the 14 HJ task was negatively correlated with the mean β value of Cluster 2 in ADHD children. CONCLUSION These results suggested that children with ADHD showed difficulty with attention shifting as well as with movement shifting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sun Mi Kim
- 2 Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sujin Bae
- 1 Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea
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Choi JW, Han DH, Kang KD, Jung HY, Renshaw PF. Aerobic exercise and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: brain research. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2016; 47:33-9. [PMID: 24824770 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000000373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE As adjuvant therapy for enhancing the effects of stimulants and thereby minimizing medication doses, we hypothesized that aerobic exercise might be an effective adjunctive therapy for enhancing the effects of methylphenidate on the clinical symptoms, cognitive function, and brain activity of adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS Thirty-five adolescents with ADHD were randomly assigned to one of two groups in a 1/1 ratio; methylphenidate treatment + 6-wk exercise (sports-ADHD) or methylphenidate treatment + 6-wk education (edu-ADHD). At baseline and after 6 wk of treatment, symptoms of ADHD, cognitive function, and brain activity were evaluated using the Dupaul attention deficit hyperactivity disorder rating scale--Korean version (K-ARS), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and 3-T functional magnetic resonance imaging, respectively. RESULTS The K-ARS total score and perseverative errors in the sports-ADHD group decreased compared with those in the edu-ADHD group. After the 6-wk treatment period, the mean β value of the right frontal lobe in the sports-ADHD group increased compared with that in the edu-ADHD group. The mean β value of the right temporal lobe in the sports-ADHD group decreased. However, the mean β value of the right temporal lobe in the edu-ADHD group did not change. The change in activity within the right prefrontal cortex in all adolescents with ADHD was negatively correlated with the change in K-ARS scores and perseverative errors. CONCLUSIONS The current results indicate that aerobic exercise increased the effectiveness of methylphenidate on clinical symptoms, perseverative errors, and brain activity within the right frontal and temporal cortices in response to the Wisconsin card sorting test stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Won Choi
- 1Department of Sports, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, REPUBLIC OF KOREA; 2Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, REPUBLIC OF KOREA; and 3Brain Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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Abstract
Visual perceptual learning (VPL) is defined as long-term improvement in performance on a visual-perception task after visual experiences or training. Early studies have found that VPL is highly specific for the trained feature and location, suggesting that VPL is associated with changes in the early visual cortex. However, the generality of visual skills enhancement attributable to action video-game experience suggests that VPL can result from improvement in higher cognitive skills. If so, experience in real-time strategy (RTS) video-game play, which may heavily involve cognitive skills, may also facilitate VPL. To test this hypothesis, we compared VPL between RTS video-game players (VGPs) and non-VGPs (NVGPs) and elucidated underlying structural and functional neural mechanisms. Healthy young human subjects underwent six training sessions on a texture discrimination task. Diffusion-tensor and functional magnetic resonance imaging were performed before and after training. VGPs performed better than NVGPs in the early phase of training. White-matter connectivity between the right external capsule and visual cortex and neuronal activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were greater in VGPs than NVGPs and were significantly correlated with RTS video-game experience. In both VGPs and NVGPs, there was task-related neuronal activity in the right IFG, ACC, and striatum, which was strengthened after training. These results indicate that RTS video-game experience, associated with changes in higher-order cognitive functions and connectivity between visual and cognitive areas, facilitates VPL in early phases of training. The results support the hypothesis that VPL can occur without involvement of only visual areas. Significance statement: Although early studies found that visual perceptual learning (VPL) is associated with involvement of the visual cortex, generality of visual skills enhancement by action video-game experience suggests that higher-order cognition may be involved in VPL. If so, real-time strategy (RTS) video-game experience may facilitate VPL as a result of heavy involvement of cognitive skills. Here, we compared VPL between RTS video-game players (VGPs) and non-VGPs (NVGPs) and investigated the underlying neural mechanisms. VGPs showed better performance in the early phase of training on the texture discrimination task and greater level of neuronal activity in cognitive areas and structural connectivity between visual and cognitive areas than NVGPs. These results support the hypothesis that VPL can occur beyond the visual cortex.
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Ito T, Matsuda T, Shimojo S. Functional connectivity of the striatum in experts of stenography. Brain Behav 2015; 5:e00333. [PMID: 25874166 PMCID: PMC4396401 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Revised: 01/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stenography, or shorthand, is a unique set of skills that involves intensive training which is nearly life-long and orchestrating various brain functional modules, including auditory, linguistic, cognitive, mnemonic, and motor. Stenography provides cognitive neuroscientists with a unique opportunity to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the neural plasticity that enables such a high degree of expertise. However, shorthand is quickly being replaced with voice recognition technology. We took this nearly final opportunity to scan the brains of the last alive shorthand experts of the Japanese language. METHODS Thirteen right-handed stenographers and fourteen right-handed controls participated in the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. RESULTS The fMRI data revealed plastic reorganization of the neural circuits around the putamen. The acquisition of expert skills was accompanied by structural and functional changes in the area. The posterior putamen is known as the execution center of acquired sensorimotor skills. Compared to nonexperts, the posterior putamen in stenographers had high covariation with the cerebellum and midbrain.The stenographers' brain developed different neural circuits from those of the nonexpert brain. CONCLUSIONS The current data illustrate the vigorous plasticity in the putamen and in its connectivity to other relevant areas in the expert brain. This is a case of vigorous neural plastic reorganization in response to massive overtraining, which is rare especially considering that it occurred in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takehito Ito
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University 6-1-1 Tamagawa Gakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan ; Molecular Neuroimaging Program, Molecular Imaging Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Matsuda
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University 6-1-1 Tamagawa Gakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8610, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Shimojo
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering/Computation and Neural Systems, California Institute of Technology 139-74, Pasadena, California, 91125
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How skill expertise shapes the brain functional architecture: an fMRI study of visuo-spatial and motor processing in professional racing-car and naïve drivers. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77764. [PMID: 24204955 PMCID: PMC3799613 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate the brain functional architecture that subserves visuo-spatial and motor processing in highly skilled individuals. By using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we measured brain activity while eleven Formula racing-car drivers and eleven ‘naïve’ volunteers performed a motor reaction and a visuo-spatial task. Tasks were set at a relatively low level of difficulty such to ensure a similar performance in the two groups and thus avoid any potential confounding effects on brain activity due to discrepancies in task execution. The brain functional organization was analyzed in terms of regional brain response, inter-regional interactions and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal variability. While performance levels were equal in the two groups, as compared to naïve drivers, professional drivers showed a smaller volume recruitment of task-related regions, stronger connections among task-related areas, and an increased information integration as reflected by a higher signal temporal variability. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that, as compared to naïve subjects, the brain functional architecture sustaining visuo-motor processing in professional racing-car drivers, trained to perform at the highest levels under extremely demanding conditions, undergoes both ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ modifications that are evident even when the brain is engaged in relatively simple, non-demanding tasks. These results provide novel evidence in favor of an increased ‘neural efficiency’ in the brain of highly skilled individuals.
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Miura A, Kudo K, Nakazawa K. Action-perception coordination dynamics of whole-body rhythmic movement in stance: a comparison study of street dancers and non-dancers. Neurosci Lett 2013; 544:157-62. [PMID: 23603261 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2012] [Revised: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated whether whole-body, rhythmic action-perception coordination in stance is organized in terms of dynamic principles. We observed whether phase transition and hysteresis occur during the execution of dancing movements. Nine skilled street dancers and 9 novice controls performed 2 types of rhythmic knee-bending movements to a metronome beat in the standing position. Participants performed down-on-the-beat (in which knee flexion coincides with the beat) and up-on-the-beat (in which knee extension coincides with the beat), which are both typical components of street dance. All participants were instructed not to intervene in the pattern change. The auditory stimulus beat rate increased or decreased between 60 and 220 beats per minute (bpm) in steps of 20 bpm. We calculated the phase angle of beat time that is superposed on knee movement trajectory on a phase plane. Under the up-on-the-beat condition, phase transition and hysteresis were observed. The bifurcation frequency at which phase transition occurred significantly differed between groups, indicating that dancers were able to perform up-on-the-beat at higher movement frequencies than non-dancers. This suggests that dynamical properties may differ between Dancers and Non-dancers. The present results provide additional evidence that whole-body action-perception pattern formation is governed by general and common dynamical principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akito Miura
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
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Yoo K, Sohn WS, Jeong Y. Tool-use practice induces changes in intrinsic functional connectivity of parietal areas. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:49. [PMID: 23550165 PMCID: PMC3582314 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 02/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsic functional connectivity from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has increasingly received attention as a possible predictor of cognitive function and performance. In this study, we investigated the influence of practicing skillful tool manipulation on intrinsic functional connectivity in the resting brain. Acquisition of tool-use skill has two aspects such as formation of motor representation for skillful manipulation and acquisition of the tool concept. To dissociate these two processes, we chose chopsticks-handling with the non-dominant hand. Because participants were already adept at chopsticks-handling with their dominant hand, practice with the non-dominant hand involved only acquiring the skill for tool manipulation with existing knowledge. Eight young participants practiced chopsticks-handling with their non-dominant hand for 8 weeks. They underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions before and after the practice. As a result, functional connectivity among tool-use-related regions of the brain decreased after practice. We found decreased functional connectivity centered on parietal areas, mainly the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and superior parietal lobule (SPL) and additionally between the primary sensorimotor area and cerebellum. These results suggest that the parietal lobe and cerebellum purely mediate motor learning for skillful tool-use. This decreased functional connectivity may represent increased efficiency of functional network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwangsun Yoo
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroImaging, Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon, South Korea
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Millner AJ, Jaroszewski AC, Chamarthi H, Pizzagalli DA. Behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of training-induced cognitive control improvements. Neuroimage 2012; 63:742-53. [PMID: 22836178 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2012] [Revised: 07/10/2012] [Accepted: 07/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive control--the ability to exert control over thoughts, attention and behavior in order to achieve a goal--is essential to adaptive functioning and its disruption characterizes various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. In recent years, increased attention has been devoted to investigating the effects of training on performance and brain function, but little is known about whether cognitive control can be improved through training. To fill this gap, we designed a brief training targeting various components of cognitive control, including conflict monitoring and interference resolution. Twenty participants performed a 3-day training protocol, preceded and followed by identical pre- and post-training sessions, respectively, which included event-related potential (ERP) recordings. To detect transfer effects, the training and pre-/post-training sessions employed different tasks hypothesized to rely on similar interference resolution mechanisms. We hypothesized that training would selectively improve performance for high-interference (i.e., incongruent) trials and be associated with reduced amplitudes in the N2 component, a waveform known to index interference. Trial-to-trial behavioral adjustments were also analyzed to assess potential mechanisms of training-induced improvements. Relative to pre-training, participants showed reduced reaction time (RT) and N2 amplitude for incongruent, but not congruent, trials, suggesting improved interference resolution. Critically, participants showing the greatest reductions in interference effects during the course of the training displayed the largest pre- to post-training reductions in N2 amplitudes in a separate task, highlighting transfer effects. Overall, results suggest that a brief training can improve cognitive control, specifically the ability to inhibit task-irrelevant information.
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Lin CH, Chiang MC, Wu AD, Iacoboni M, Udompholkul P, Yazdanshenas O, Knowlton BJ. Age related differences in the neural substrates of motor sequence learning after interleaved and repetitive practice. Neuroimage 2012; 62:2007-20. [PMID: 22584226 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2011] [Revised: 05/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Practice of tasks in an interleaved order generally induces superior retention compared to practicing in a repetitive order. Younger and older adults practiced serial reaction time tasks that were arranged in a repeated or an interleaved order on 2 successive days. Retention was tested on Day 5. For both groups, reaction times in the interleaved condition were slower than the repetitive condition during practice, but the reverse was true during retention on Day 5. After interleaved practice, changes in M1 excitability measured by paired-pulse TMS were greater than after repetitive practice, and this effect was more pronounced in older adults. Moreover, the increased M1 excitability correlated with the benefit of interleaved practice. BOLD signal was also increased for interleaved compared to repetitive practice in both groups. However, the pattern of correlations between increased BOLD during practice and subsequent benefit of the interleaved condition differed by group. In younger adults, dorsolateral-prefrontal activity during practice was related to this benefit, while in older adults, activation in sensorimotor regions and rostral prefrontal cortex during practice correlated with the benefit of interleaving on retention. Older adults may engage compensatory mechanisms during interleaved practice such as increasing sensorimotor recruitment which in turn benefits learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Ho Lin
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7332, USA
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Efficacy of tailored computer-based neurorehabilitation for improvement of movement initiation in Parkinson's disease. Brain Res 2012; 1452:151-64. [PMID: 22459048 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.02.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2011] [Revised: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 02/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
While Parkinson's disease (PD) is considered a motor disorder, motor signs of PD can be exacerbated by cognitive dysfunction. We evaluated the efficacy of a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation training program designed to improve motor-related executive function. Thirty people with PD and 21 controls participated in the 10-day training. Training consisted of a two-phase button press task. First, subjects produced an externally cued (EC) digit sequence, typing numbers displayed on the computer screen. Second, subjects were prompted to generate the same sequence in the absence of the number display (internally represented sequence, IR). Sequence length was automatically adjusted to maintain 87% correct performance. Participants were evaluated before and after training using a fixed version of the training task, and generalization of training was assessed using measures involving IR motor sequencing, switching and activities of daily living. PD participants were divided into two groups, those who showed impairment in IR motor sequence production prior to training (N=14) and those whose performance was similar to controls (N=16). Following training the impaired PD group showed significantly greater reduction in sequence initiation and completion time and in error rate for IR conditions compared to the unimpaired PD and control groups. All groups improved on Trails B-A, and pre-training Trails B was identified as a predictor of training-based improvement in IR sequence completion time and error rate. Our findings highlight the importance of neurorehabilitation tailored to the specific cognitive deficits of the PD patient.
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