Dynamic changes in the cortico-subcortical network during early motor learning.
BACKGROUND
Failure of early motor learning due to damage in any brain area involved in this process may interfere with successful rehabilitation of such patients.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated the changes in activation of the motor network during sequential finger motor learning to delineate the characteristics of the cortico-subcortical network during motor skill learning.


METHODS
Twenty healthy, right-handed volunteers participated. Subjects were instructed to perform eight blocks of a sequential finger motor task while functional MRI (fMRI) was performed.


RESULTS
The participants had an improvement in performance over time from block 1 to block 4, indicating that successful learning had occurred, followed by a plateau from block 5 to the last block. On fMRI, activities of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex, the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the posterior parietal cortex gradually increased from block 1 to block 4 and then decreased from block 5 to the last. In contrast, activity of the ipsilateral cerebellum showed a linear increase spanning the last block with peak activation. The thalamus and basal ganglia showed unilateral or bilateral activities at the unique stage of motor learning.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings delineated the characteristic plastic changes and different roles of the cortico-subcortical network during the early phase of motor learning and automatization.
Park
Ji-Won
JW
Department of Physical Therapy, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Yun-Hee
YH
Jang
Sung Ho
SH
Chang
Won Hyuk
WH
Park
Chang-hyun
CH
Kim
Sung Tae
ST
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen