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Veldman MP, Dolfen N, Gann MA, Van Roy A, Peeters R, King BR, Albouy G. Somatosensory targeted memory reactivation enhances motor performance via hippocampal-mediated plasticity. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:3734-3749. [PMID: 35972408 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that reactivation of newly acquired memory traces during postlearning wakefulness plays an important role in memory consolidation. Here, we sought to boost the reactivation of a motor memory trace during postlearning wakefulness (quiet rest) immediately following learning using somatosensory targeted memory reactivation (TMR). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the neural correlates of the reactivation process as well as the effect of the TMR intervention on brain responses elicited by task practice on 24 healthy young adults. Behavioral data of the post-TMR retest session showed a faster learning rate for the motor sequence that was reactivated as compared to the not-reactivated sequence. Brain imaging data revealed that motor, parietal, frontal, and cerebellar brain regions, which were recruited during initial motor learning, were specifically reactivated during the TMR episode and that hippocampo-frontal connectivity was modulated by the reactivation process. Importantly, the TMR-induced behavioral advantage was paralleled by dynamical changes in hippocampal activity and hippocampo-motor connectivity during task practice. Altogether, the present results suggest that somatosensory TMR during postlearning quiet rest can enhance motor performance via the modulation of hippocampo-cortical responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno P Veldman
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Nina Dolfen
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Mareike A Gann
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Anke Van Roy
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Ronald Peeters
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical Sciences Group, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Bradley R King
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Geneviève Albouy
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium.,Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
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2
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Gann MA, King BR, Dolfen N, Veldman MP, Davare M, Swinnen SP, Mantini D, Robertson EM, Albouy G. Prefrontal stimulation prior to motor sequence learning alters multivoxel patterns in the striatum and the hippocampus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20572. [PMID: 34663890 PMCID: PMC8523553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99926-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor sequence learning (MSL) is supported by dynamical interactions between hippocampal and striatal networks that are thought to be orchestrated by the prefrontal cortex. In the present study, we tested whether individually-tailored theta-burst stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) prior to MSL can modulate multivoxel response patterns in the stimulated cortical area, the hippocampus and the striatum. Response patterns were assessed with multivoxel correlation structure analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging data acquired during task practice and during resting-state scans before and after learning/stimulation. Results revealed that, across stimulation conditions, MSL induced greater modulation of task-related DLPFC multivoxel patterns than random practice. A similar learning-related modulatory effect was observed on sensorimotor putamen patterns under inhibitory stimulation. Furthermore, MSL as well as inhibitory stimulation affected (posterior) hippocampal multivoxel patterns at post-intervention rest. Exploratory analyses showed that MSL-related brain patterns in the posterior hippocampus persisted into post-learning rest preferentially after inhibitory stimulation. These results collectively show that prefrontal stimulation can alter multivoxel brain patterns in deep brain regions that are critical for the MSL process. They also suggest that stimulation influenced early offline consolidation processes as evidenced by a stimulation-induced modulation of the reinstatement of task pattern into post-learning wakeful rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike A Gann
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bradley R King
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Nina Dolfen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Menno P Veldman
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marco Davare
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PN, UK
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
- Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126, Venice, Italy
| | - Edwin M Robertson
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QB, UK
| | - Geneviève Albouy
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
- LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
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3
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Dolfen N, Veldman MP, Gann MA, von Leupoldt A, Puts NAJ, Edden RAE, Mikkelsen M, Swinnen S, Schwabe L, Albouy G, King BR. A role for GABA in the modulation of striatal and hippocampal systems under stress. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1033. [PMID: 34475515 PMCID: PMC8413374 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02535-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has demonstrated that stress modulates the competitive interaction between the hippocampus and striatum, two structures known to be critically involved in motor sequence learning. These earlier investigations, however, have largely focused on blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses. No study to date has examined the link between stress, motor learning and levels of striatal and hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This knowledge gap is surprising given the known role of GABA in neuroplasticity subserving learning and memory. The current study thus examined: a) the effects of motor learning and stress on striatal and hippocampal GABA levels; and b) how learning- and stress-induced changes in GABA relate to the neural correlates of learning. To do so, fifty-three healthy young adults were exposed to a stressful or non-stressful control intervention before motor sequence learning. Striatal and hippocampal GABA levels were assessed at baseline and post-intervention/learning using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Regression analyses indicated that stress modulated the link between striatal GABA levels and functional plasticity in both the hippocampus and striatum during learning as measured with fMRI. This study provides evidence for a role of GABA in the stress-induced modulation of striatal and hippocampal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Dolfen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Menno P Veldman
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mareike A Gann
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Nicolaas A J Puts
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Geneviève Albouy
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Bradley R King
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Gann MA, King BR, Dolfen N, Veldman MP, Chan KL, Puts NAJ, Edden RAE, Davare M, Swinnen SP, Mantini D, Robertson EM, Albouy G. Hippocampal and striatal responses during motor learning are modulated by prefrontal cortex stimulation. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118158. [PMID: 33991699 PMCID: PMC8351752 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While it is widely accepted that motor sequence learning (MSL) is supported by a prefrontal-mediated interaction between hippocampal and striatal networks, it remains unknown whether the functional responses of these networks can be modulated in humans with targeted experimental interventions. The present proof-of-concept study employed a multimodal neuroimaging approach, including functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and MR spectroscopy, to investigate whether individually-tailored theta-burst stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex can modulate responses in the hippocampus and the basal ganglia during motor learning. Our results indicate that while stimulation did not modulate motor performance nor task-related brain activity, it influenced connectivity patterns within hippocampo-frontal and striatal networks. Stimulation also altered the relationship between the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the stimulated prefrontal cortex and learning-related changes in both activity and connectivity in fronto-striato-hippocampal networks. This study provides the first experimental evidence, to the best of our knowledge, that brain stimulation can alter motor learning-related functional responses in the striatum and hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike A Gann
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bradley R King
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nina Dolfen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Menno P Veldman
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kimberly L Chan
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nicolaas A J Puts
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience; King's College London, SE5 8AF London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard A E Edden
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Marco Davare
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, UB8 3PN Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy
| | - Edwin M Robertson
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, G12 8QB Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Geneviève Albouy
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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5
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Veldman MP, Maurits NM, Mantini D, Hortobágyi T. Age-dependent modulation of motor network connectivity for skill acquisition, consolidation and interlimb transfer after motor practice. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:1790-1801. [PMID: 34130247 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Age-related differences in neural strategies for motor learning are not fully understood. We determined the effects of age on the relationship between motor network connectivity and motor skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer using dynamic imaging of coherent sources. METHODS Healthy younger (n = 24, 18-24 y) and older (n = 24, 65-87 y) adults unilaterally practiced a visuomotor task and resting-state electroencephalographic data was acquired before and after practice as well as at retention. RESULTS The results showed that right-hand skill acquisition and consolidation did not differ between age groups. However, age affected the ability to transfer the newly acquired motor skill to the non-practiced limb. Moreover, strengthened left- and right-primary motor cortex-related beta connectivity was negatively and positively associated with right-hand skill acquisition and left-hand skill consolidation in older adults, respectively. CONCLUSION Age-dependent modulations of bilateral resting-state motor network connectivity indicate age-specific strategies for the acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer of novel motor tasks. SIGNIFICANCE The present results provide insights into the mechanisms underlying motor learning that are important for the development of interventions for patients with unilateral injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Veldman
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands; KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium.
| | - N M Maurits
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Neurology, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - D Mantini
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - T Hortobágyi
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences, Groningen, the Netherlands; Institute of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Somogy County Kaposi Mór Teaching Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
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6
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Veldman MP, Dolfen N, Gann MA, Carrier J, King BR, Albouy G. Somatosensory Targeted Memory Reactivation Modulates Oscillatory Brain Activity but not Motor Memory Consolidation. Neuroscience 2021; 465:203-218. [PMID: 33823218 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that targeted memory reactivation (TMR) protocols using acoustic or olfactory stimuli can boost motor memory consolidation. While somatosensory information is crucial for motor control and learning, the effects of somatosensory TMR on motor memory consolidation remain elusive. Here, healthy young adults (n = 28) were trained on a sequential serial reaction time task and received, during the offline consolidation period that followed, sequential electrical stimulation of the fingers involved in the task. This somatosensory TMR procedure was applied during either a 90-minute diurnal sleep (NAP) or wake (NONAP) interval that was monitored with electroencephalography. Consolidation was assessed with a retest following the NAP/NONAP episode. Behavioral results revealed no effect of TMR on motor performance in either of the groups. At the brain level, somatosensory stimulation elicited changes in oscillatory activity in both groups. Specifically, TMR induced an increase in power in the mu band in the NONAP group and in the beta band in both the NAP and NONAP groups. Additionally, TMR elicited an increase in sigma power and a decrease in delta oscillations in the NAP group. None of these TMR-induced modulations of oscillatory activity, however, were correlated with measures of motor memory consolidation. The present results collectively suggest that while somatosensory TMR modulates oscillatory brain activity during post-learning sleep and wakefulness, it does not influence motor performance in an immediate retest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno P Veldman
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Nina Dolfen
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mareike A Gann
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julie Carrier
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Nord-de-l'Ile de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Bradley R King
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geneviève Albouy
- KU Leuven, Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
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7
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Bootsma JM, Caljouw SR, Veldman MP, Maurits NM, Rothwell JC, Hortobágyi T. Neural Correlates of Motor Skill Learning Are Dependent on Both Age and Task Difficulty. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:643132. [PMID: 33828478 PMCID: PMC8019720 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.643132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although a general age-related decline in neural plasticity is evident, the effects of age on neural plasticity after motor practice are inconclusive. Inconsistencies in the literature may be related to between-study differences in task difficulty. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of age and task difficulty on motor learning and associated brain activity. We used task-related electroencephalography (EEG) power in the alpha (8–12 Hz) and beta (13–30 Hz) frequency bands to assess neural plasticity before, immediately after, and 24-h after practice of a mirror star tracing task at one of three difficulty levels in healthy younger (19–24 yr) and older (65–86 yr) adults. Results showed an age-related deterioration in motor performance that was more pronounced with increasing task difficulty and was accompanied by a more bilateral activity pattern for older vs. younger adults. Task difficulty affected motor skill retention and neural plasticity specifically in older adults. Older adults that practiced at the low or medium, but not the high, difficulty levels were able to maintain improvements in accuracy at retention and showed modulation of alpha TR-Power after practice. Together, these data indicate that both age and task difficulty affect motor learning, as well as the associated neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josje M Bootsma
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Simone R Caljouw
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Menno P Veldman
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Science, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natasha M Maurits
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - John C Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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8
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Dolfen N, King BR, Schwabe L, Gann MA, Veldman MP, von Leupoldt A, Swinnen SP, Albouy G. Stress Modulates the Balance between Hippocampal and Motor Networks during Motor Memory Processing. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:1365-1382. [PMID: 33106842 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The functional interaction between hippocampo- and striato-cortical regions during motor sequence learning is essential to trigger optimal memory consolidation. Based on previous evidence from other memory domains that stress alters the balance between these systems, we investigated whether exposure to stress prior to motor learning modulates motor memory processes. Seventy-two healthy young individuals were exposed to a stressful or nonstressful control intervention prior to training on a motor sequence learning task in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Consolidation was assessed with an MRI retest after a sleep episode. Behavioral results indicate that stress prior to learning did not influence motor performance. At the neural level, stress induced both a larger recruitment of sensorimotor regions and a greater disengagement of hippocampo-cortical networks during training. Brain-behavior regression analyses showed that while this stress-induced shift from (hippocampo-)fronto-parietal to motor networks was beneficial for initial performance, it was detrimental for consolidation. Our results provide the first experimental evidence that stress modulates the neural networks recruited during motor memory processing and therefore effectively unify concepts and mechanisms from diverse memory fields. Critically, our findings suggest that intersubject variability in brain responses to stress determines the impact of stress on motor learning and subsequent consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Dolfen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - B R King
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - L Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - M A Gann
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - M P Veldman
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - A von Leupoldt
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - S P Swinnen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - G Albouy
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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9
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Bootsma JM, Caljouw SR, Veldman MP, Maurits NM, Rothwell JC, Hortobágyi T. Failure to Engage Neural Plasticity through Practice of a High-difficulty Task is Accompanied by Reduced Motor Skill Retention in Older Adults. Neuroscience 2020; 451:22-35. [PMID: 33075459 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
While the difficulty of a motor task can act as a stimulus for learning in younger adults, it is unknown how task difficulty interacts with age-related reductions in motor performance and altered brain activation. We examined the effects of task difficulty on motor performance and used electroencephalography (EEG) to probe task-related brain activation after acquisition and 24-h retention of a mirror star-tracing skill in healthy older adults (N = 36, 65-86 years). The results showed that the difficulty of the motor skill affected both the magnitude of motor skill learning and the underlying neural mechanisms. Behavioral data revealed that practicing a motor task at a high difficulty level hindered motor skill consolidation. The EEG data indicated that task difficulty modulated changes in brain activation after practice. Specifically, a decrease in task-related alpha power in frontal and parietal electrodes was only present after practice of the skill at the low and medium, but not the high difficulty level. Taken together, our findings show that a failure to engage neural plasticity through practice of a high-difficulty task is accompanied by reduced motor skill retention in older adults. The data help us better understand how older adults learn new motor skills and might have implications for prescribing motor skill practice according to its difficulty in rehabilitation settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josje M Bootsma
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Simone R Caljouw
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Menno P Veldman
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Science, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Natasha M Maurits
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - John C Rothwell
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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10
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King BR, Rumpf JJ, Heise KF, Veldman MP, Peeters R, Doyon J, Classen J, Albouy G, Swinnen SP. Lateralized effects of post-learning transcranial direct current stimulation on motor memory consolidation in older adults: An fMRI investigation. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117323. [PMID: 32882377 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has consistently demonstrated that older adults have difficulties transforming recently learned movements into robust, long-lasting memories (i.e., motor memory consolidation). One potential avenue to enhance consolidation in older individuals is the administration of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to task-relevant brain regions after initial learning. Although this approach has shown promise, the underlying cerebral correlates have yet to be revealed. Moreover, it is unknown whether the effects of tDCS are lateralized, an open question with implications for rehabilitative approaches following predominantly unilateral neurological injuries. In this research, healthy older adults completed a sequential motor task before and 6 h after receiving anodal or sham stimulation to right or left primary motor cortex (M1) while functional magnetic resonance images were acquired. Unexpectedly, anodal stimulation to right M1 following left-hand sequence learning significantly hindered consolidation as compared to a sham control, whereas no differences were observed with left M1 stimulation following right-hand learning. Impaired performance following right M1 stimulation was paralleled by sustained engagement of regions known to be critical for early learning stages, including the caudate nucleus and the premotor and parietal cortices. Thus, post-learning tDCS in older adults not only exerts heterogenous effects across the two hemispheres but can also disrupt ongoing memory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley R King
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
| | | | - Kirstin-Friederike Heise
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Menno P Veldman
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ronald Peeters
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical Sciences Group, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julien Doyon
- McConnell Brain Imaging Center, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Joseph Classen
- Department of Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Genevieve Albouy
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; LBI - KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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11
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Veldman MP, Item-Glatthorn JF, Visscher RMS, Hortobágyi T, Maffiuletti NA. Somatosensory Electrical Stimulation Does Not Improve Motor Coordination in Patients with Unilateral Knee Osteoarthritis. J Clin Med 2019; 8:E259. [PMID: 30791367 PMCID: PMC6406642 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8020259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is often focused on the motor component of KOA even though there is evidence that sensory dysfunctions play an important role in the impaired control of the affected joint. Excitation of sensory afferents can increase motor function by exploiting the nervous system's ability to adapt to changing environments (i.e., neuronal plasticity). Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the acute effects of a single session (30 min) of sensory intervention targeting neuronal plasticity using low-frequency (10 Hz) somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) of the femoral nerve. We evaluated the effects of SES on the position and force control of the affected knee and self-reported pain in KOA patients (n = 14) in a sham-controlled randomized trial. The results showed that SES did not improve measures of lower-limb motor coordination compared to sham stimulation in KOA patients, nor did it improve self-reported knee function and pain (all p > 0.05). In conclusion, despite sensory involvement in KOA, the sensory intervention used in the present explorative study did not relieve self-reported pain, which may underlie the absence of an effect on measures of motor coordination. In sum, the present explorative study showed that SES alone does not improve motor coordination in KOA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno P Veldman
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
| | | | | | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
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12
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Veldman MP, Maurits NM, Zijdewind I, Maffiuletti NA, van Middelkoop S, Mizelle JC, Hortobágyi T. Somatosensory electrical stimulation improves skill acquisition, consolidation, and transfer by increasing sensorimotor activity and connectivity. J Neurophysiol 2018; 120:281-290. [PMID: 29641307 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00860.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the somatosensory and motor systems is important for normal human motor function and learning. Enhancing somatosensory input using somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) can increase motor performance, but the neuronal mechanisms underlying these effects are largely unknown. With EEG, we examined whether skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer after SES was related to increased activity in sensorimotor regions, as assessed by the N30 somatosensory evoked potential or rather increased connectivity between these regions, as assessed by the phase slope index (PSI). Right- and left-hand motor performance and EEG measures were taken before, immediately after, and 24 h ( day 2) after either SES ( n = 12; 5 men) or Control ( n = 12; 5 men). The results showed skill acquisition and consolidation in the stimulated right hand immediately after SES (6%) and on day 2 (9%) and interlimb transfer to the nonstimulated left hand on day 2 relative to Control (8%, all P < 0.05). Increases in N30 amplitudes correlated with skill acquisition while PSI from electrodes that represent the posterior parietal and primary somatosensory cortex to the electrode representing the primary motor cortex correlated with skill consolidation. In contrast, interlimb transfer did not correlate with the EEG-derived neurophysiological estimates obtained in the present study, which may indicate the involvement of subcortical structures in interlimb transfer after SES. In conclusion, weak peripheral somatosensory inputs in the form of SES improve skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer that coincide with different cortical adaptations, including enhanced N30 amplitudes and PSI. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The relationship between adaptations in synaptic plasticity and motor learning following somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) is incompletely understood. Here, we used for the first time a multifactorial approach that examined skill acquisition, consolidation, and interlimb transfer following 20 min of SES. In addition, we quantified sensorimotor integration and the magnitude and direction of connectivity with EEG. Following artificial electrical stimulation, increases in sensorimotor integration and connectivity were found to correlate with skill acquisition and consolidation, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno P Veldman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Natasha M Maurits
- Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, Neuroimaging Center , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Inge Zijdewind
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | | | - Stella van Middelkoop
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - J Chris Mizelle
- Department of Kinesiology, East Carolina University , Greenville, North Carolina
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Human Movement Sciences , Groningen , The Netherlands
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Veldman MP, Gondin J, Place N, Maffiuletti NA. Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Training on Endurance Performance. Front Physiol 2016; 7:544. [PMID: 27899898 PMCID: PMC5110544 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Menno P Veldman
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical CenterGroningen, Netherlands; Human Performance Lab, Schulthess ClinicZurich, Switzerland
| | - Julien Gondin
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM U1217, CNRS UMR 5310 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Nicolas Place
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of LausanneLausanne, Switzerland; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of LausanneLausanne, Switzerland
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Berghuis KM, De Rond V, Zijdewind I, Koch G, Veldman MP, Hortobágyi T. Neuronal mechanisms of motor learning are age dependent. Neurobiol Aging 2016; 46:149-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Veldman MP, Zijdewind I, Maffiuletti NA, Hortobágyi T. Motor Skill Acquisition and Retention after Somatosensory Electrical Stimulation in Healthy Humans. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:115. [PMID: 27014043 PMCID: PMC4792880 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatosensory electrical stimulation (SES) can increase motor performance, presumably through a modulation of neuronal excitability. Because the effects of SES can outlast the period of stimulation, we examined the possibility that SES can also enhance the retention of motor performance, motor memory consolidation, after 24 h (Day 2) and 7 days (Day 7), that such effects would be scaled by SES duration, and that such effects were mediated by changes in aspects of corticospinal excitability, short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF). Healthy young adults (n = 40) received either 20 (SES-20), 40 (SES-40), or 60 min (SES-60) of real SES, or sham SES (SES-0). The results showed SES-20 increased visuomotor performance on Day 2 (15%) and Day 7 (17%) and SES-60 increased visuomotor performance on Day 7 (11%; all p < 0.05) compared with SES-0. Specific responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) increased immediately after SES (p < 0.05) but not on Days 2 and 7. In addition, changes in behavioral and neurophysiological parameters did not correlate, suggesting that paths and structures other than the ones TMS can assay must be (also) involved in the increases in visuomotor performance after SES. As examined in the present study, low-intensity peripheral electrical nerve stimulation did not have acute effects on healthy adults' visuomotor performance but SES had delayed effects in the form of enhanced motor memory consolidation that were not scaled by the duration of SES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno P Veldman
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Inge Zijdewind
- Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
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