Journal article
Regional Brain Activation Associated with Different Performance Patterns during Learning of a Complex Motor Skill
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. 1991), v 13(9), pp 904-910
Sep 2003
PMID: 12902389
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
In understanding the brain’s response to extensive practice and development of high-level, expert skill, a key question is whether the same brain structures remain involved throughout the different stages of learning and a form of adaptation occurs, or a new functional circuit is formed with some structures dropping off and others joining. After training subjects on a set of complex motor tasks (tying knots), we utilized fMRI to observe that in subjects who learned the task well new regional activity emerged in posterior medial structures, i.e. the posterior cingulate gyrus. Activation associated with weak learning of the knots involved areas that mediate visual spatial computations. Brain activity associated with no substantive learning indicated involvement of areas dedicated to the declarative aspects learning such as the anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex. The new activation for the pattern of strong learning has alternate interpretations involving either retrieval during episodic memory or a shift toward non-executive cognitive control of the task. While these interpretations are not resolved, the study makes clear that single time-point images of motor skill can be misleading because the brain structures that implement action can change following practice.
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Details
- Title
- Regional Brain Activation Associated with Different Performance Patterns during Learning of a Complex Motor Skill
- Creators
- Joseph Tracy - Thomas Jefferson UniversityAdam Flanders - Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107 andSaussan Madi - Departments of Neurology andJoseph Laskas - Departments of Neurology andEve Stoddard - Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University, PA, USAAyis Pyrros - Departments of Neurology andPeter Natale - Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19107 andNicole DelVecchio - Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University, PA, USAJean Astley Tracy - [Retired Faculty]
- Publication Details
- Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. 1991), v 13(9), pp 904-910
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000184680400002
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-0041357098
- Other Identifier
- 991019168856604721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Neurosciences