scholarly journals Sequence learning is driven by improvements in motor planning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Ariani ◽  
Jörn Diedrichsen
Keyword(s):  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Forced Response ◽  
Learning Effects ◽  
Motor Execution ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Single Action ◽  
Online Planning ◽  
Sequence Production ◽  
Planning Processes

AbstractThe ability to perform complex sequences of movements quickly and accurately is critical for many motor skills. While training improves performance in a large variety of motor-sequence tasks, the precise mechanisms behind such improvements are poorly understood. Here we investigated the contribution of single-action selection, sequence pre-planning, online planning, and motor execution to performance in a discrete sequence production (DSP) task. Five visually-presented numbers cued a sequence of five finger presses, which had to be executed as quickly and accurately as possible. To study how sequence planning influenced sequence production, we manipulated the amount of time that participants were given to prepare each sequence by using a forced-response paradigm. Over 4 days, participants were trained on 10 sequences and tested on 80 novel sequences. Our results revealed that participants became faster in selecting individual finger presses. They also preplanned 3-4 sequence items into the future, and the speed of pre-planning improved for trained, but not for untrained, sequences. Because pre-planning capacity remained limited, the remaining sequence elements had to be planned online during sequence execution, a process that also improved with sequence-specific training. Overall, our results support the view that motor sequence learning effects are best characterized by improvements in planning processes that occur both before and concurrently with motor execution.New & NoteworthyComplex skills often require the production of sequential movements. While practice improves performance, it remains unclear how these improvements are achieved. Our findings show that learning effects in a sequence production task can be attributed to an enhanced ability to plan upcoming movements. These results shed new light on planning processes in the context of movement sequences, and have important implications for our understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie skill acquisition.

scholarly journals Sequence learning is driven by improvements in motor planning

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (6) ◽  
pp. 2088-2100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Ariani ◽  
Jörn Diedrichsen
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Forced Response ◽  
Learning Effects ◽  
Production Task ◽  
Motor Execution ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Single Action ◽  
Online Planning ◽  
Sequence Production ◽  
Planning Processes

The ability to perform complex sequences of movements quickly and accurately is critical for many motor skills. Although training improves performance in a large variety of motor sequence tasks, the precise mechanisms behind such improvements are poorly understood. Here we investigated the contribution of single-action selection, sequence preplanning, online planning, and motor execution to performance in a discrete sequence production task. Five visually presented numbers cued a sequence of five finger presses, which had to be executed as quickly and accurately as possible. To study how sequence planning influenced sequence production, we manipulated the amount of time that participants were given to prepare each sequence by using a forced-response paradigm. Over 4 days, participants were trained on 10 sequences and tested on 80 novel sequences. Our results revealed that participants became faster in selecting individual finger presses. They also preplanned three or four sequence items into the future, and the speed of preplanning improved for trained, but not for untrained, sequences. Because preplanning capacity remained limited, the remaining sequence elements had to be planned online during sequence execution, a process that also improved with sequence-specific training. Overall, our results support the view that motor sequence learning effects are best characterized by improvements in planning processes that occur both before and concurrently with motor execution. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Complex skills often require the production of sequential movements. Although practice improves performance, it remains unclear how these improvements are achieved. Our findings show that learning effects in a sequence production task can be attributed to an enhanced ability to plan upcoming movements. These results shed new light on planning processes in the context of movement sequences and have important implications for our understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie skill acquisition.

scholarly journals Using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation to investigate the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in explicit sequence learning

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0246849
Author(s):  
Hannah K. Ballard ◽  
Sydney M. Eakin ◽  
Ted Maldonado ◽  
Jessica A. Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Motor Sequence Learning ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
High Definition ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Though we have a general understanding of the brain areas involved in motor sequence learning, there is more to discover about the neural mechanisms underlying skill acquisition. Skill acquisition may be subserved, in part, by interactions between the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex through a cerebello-thalamo-prefrontal network. In prior work, we investigated this network by targeting the cerebellum; here, we explored the consequence of stimulating the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) before administering an explicit motor sequence learning paradigm. Using a mixed within- and between- subjects design, we employed anodal (n = 24) and cathodal (n = 25) HD-tDCS (relative to sham) to temporarily alter brain function and examine effects on skill acquisition. The results indicate that both anodal and cathodal prefrontal stimulation impedes motor sequence learning, relative to sham. These findings suggest an overall negative influence of active prefrontal stimulation on the acquisition of a sequential pattern of finger movements. Collectively, this provides novel insight on the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in initial skill acquisition, when cognitive processes such as working memory are used. Exploring methods that may improve motor learning is important in developing therapeutic strategies for motor-related diseases and rehabilitation.

scholarly journals Using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation to investigate the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in explicit sequence learning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah K. Ballard ◽  
Sydney M. Eakin ◽  
Ted Maldonado ◽  
Jessica A. Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Direct Current ◽  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Motor Sequence Learning ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
High Definition ◽  
Dorsolateral Prefrontal

AbstractThough we have a general understanding of the brain areas involved in motor sequence learning, there is more to discover about the neural mechanisms underlying skill acquisition. Skill acquisition may be subserved, in part, by interactions between the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex through a cerebello-thalamo-prefrontal network. In prior work, we investigated this network by targeting the cerebellum; here, we explored the consequence of stimulating the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) before administering an explicit motor sequence learning paradigm. Using a mixed within- and between-subjects design, we employed anodal (n = 24) and cathodal (n = 25) HD-tDCS (relative to sham) to temporarily alter brain function and examine effects on skill acquisition. The results indicate that both anodal and cathodal prefrontal stimulation impedes motor sequence learning, relative to sham. These findings suggest an overall negative influence of active prefrontal stimulation on the acquisition of a sequential pattern of finger movements. Collectively, this provides novel insight on the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in initial skill acquisition, when cognitive processes such as working memory are used. Exploring methods that may improve motor learning is important in developing therapeutic strategies for motor-related diseases and rehabilitation.

scholarly journals Discrepancy between repetition suppression and pattern analysis provides new insights into the role of M1 and parietal areas in sequence learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Berlot ◽  
Nicola J. Popp ◽  
Scott T. Grafton ◽  
Jörn Diedrichsen
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Pattern Analysis ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Single Experiment ◽  
Repetition Suppression ◽  
Sequence Production

AbstractHow does the brain change during skill learning? We previously conducted a longitudinal fMRI motor sequence learning study and, using multivariate techniques, found learning-related changes in premotor and parietal areas, but not in the primary motor cortex (M1) (1). However, a study using repetition suppression (RS) had previously suggested that M1 represents learned sequences. Here we replicate this discrepancy in a single experiment, allowing us to investigate the differences between RS and multivariate pattern analysis in detail. We found that the RS effect in M1 and parietal areas reflect fundamentally different processes. M1’s activity represents the starting finger of the sequence, an effect that vanishes with repetition. In contrast, activity patterns in parietal areas exhibit sequence dependency, which persists with repetition. These findings demonstrate that combining RS and pattern analysis can provide novel functional insights, here specifically into the relative contribution of cortical motor areas to sequence production.

Evidence for chunking vs. statistical learning in motor sequence production

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Popp ◽  
Neda Kordjaz ◽  
Paul Gribble ◽  
Jörn Diedrichsen
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Sequence Production

Companion Trainer Aircraft: Aspects of Dual Qualification

1982 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 605-609
Author(s):  
Thomas H. Killion
Keyword(s):  
Short Duration ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
Learning Effects ◽  
Initial Training ◽  
Aircraft Performance ◽  
B 52 ◽  
Difficult Part ◽  
Military Airlift

The use of surrogate aircraft for aircrew training involves two major issues. First, what effect does flying the secondary aircraft have on primary aircraft performance? This issue was addressed in the previous paper. Second, can the crew learn to safely operate the secondary aircraft while continuing to fly the primary aircraft? This paper addresses this second aspect of dual qualification. Of interest is the acquisition of skill in the secondary aircraft. For the purpose of testing the concept of a Companion Trainer Aircraft (CTA), eight B-52 pilot/copilot teams from the 2nd Bombardment Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA, were dual qualified in the T-39. Initial training in the T-39A occurred at Scott AFB, IL, followed by the flying of B-52 style training sorties in a specially modified T-39B at Barksdale AFB, LA. Pilot/copilot performance in the T-39A was evaluated by Military Airlift Command (MAC) instructor pilots (IPs), in the T-39B performance was monitored by a 4950 Test Wing IP. The results of these evaluations suggest that: 1, approach and landing is the most difficult part of the mission to learn; and 2, certain behaviors which are appropriate in the B-52 intrude on T-39 performance, where they are inappropriate. The data also suggest that in the early phase of skill acquisition, frequent sorties are necessary to avoid degradations in performance. In the T-39B training, the frequency required appeared to be about every two weeks. Although the short duration of this study prohibits conclusions concerning long term learning effects, the results do identify some areas for concern in any future CTA type program.

Contribution of the Premotor Cortex to Consolidation of Motor Sequence Learning in Humans During Sleep

2010 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 2603-2614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Nitsche ◽  
Michaela Jakoubkova ◽  
Nivethida Thirugnanasambandam ◽  
Leonie Schmalfuss ◽  
Sandra Hullemann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Memory Consolidation ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Premotor Cortex ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Motor Memory ◽  
Motor Sequence

Motor learning and memory consolidation require the contribution of different cortices. For motor sequence learning, the primary motor cortex is involved primarily in its acquisition. Premotor areas might be important for consolidation. In accordance, modulation of cortical excitability via transcranial DC stimulation (tDCS) during learning affects performance when applied to the primary motor cortex, but not premotor cortex. We aimed to explore whether premotor tDCS influences task performance during motor memory consolidation. The impact of excitability-enhancing, -diminishing, or placebo premotor tDCS during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep on recall in the serial reaction time task (SRTT) was explored in healthy humans. The motor task was learned in the evening. Recall was performed immediately after tDCS or the following morning. In two separate control experiments, excitability-enhancing premotor tDCS was performed 4 h after task learning during daytime or immediately before conduction of a simple reaction time task. Excitability-enhancing tDCS performed during REM sleep increased recall of the learned movement sequences, when tested immediately after stimulation. REM density was enhanced by excitability-increasing tDCS and reduced by inhibitory tDCS, but did not correlate with task performance. In the control experiments, tDCS did not improve performance. We conclude that the premotor cortex is involved in motor memory consolidation during REM sleep.

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