title: Multidimensional sequence learning in patients with focal basal ganglia lesions.
abstract: Parkinson's patients have been found to be impaired in learning movement sequences. In the current study, patients with unilateral basal ganglia lesions due to stroke were tested on a serial reaction time task in which responses were based on the spatial location of each stimulus. The spatial locations either followed a fixed sequence or were selected at random, with learning operationalized as the difference in reaction time between these two conditions. In addition, three response-to-stimulus intervals were used, and these either followed a fixed sequence or were randomized. Compared to control participants, the patients showed normal learning of the spatial and temporal sequences, as well as normal cross-dimensional learning. This was true for performance with either the contralesional or ipsilesional hand. Sequence learning was not correlated with maximum tapping rate, a simple measure of motor impairment. These results raise questions concerning the use of Parkinson's disease as a model for studying basal ganglia dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, United States. js4fh@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Jacqueline C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Ivry
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000502:physiology*; D020144:Basal Ganglia Cerebrovascular Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D046709:Pattern Recognition, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology