Distinct consolidation outcomes in a visuomotor adaptation task: Off-line leaning and persistent after-effect.
Consolidation is a time-dependent process responsible for the storage of information in long-term memory. As such, it plays a crucial role in motor learning. In two experiments, we sought to determine whether one's performance influences the outcome of the consolidation process. We used a visuomotor adaptation task in which the cursor moved by the participants was rotated 30 degrees clockwise. Thus, participants had to learn a new internal model to compensate for the rotation of the visual feedback. The results indicated that when participants showed good adaptation in the first session, consolidation resulted in a persistent after-effect in a no-rotation transfer test; they had difficulty returning to their normal no-rotation internal model. However, when participants showed poor adaptation in the first session, consolidation led to significant off-line learning (between sessions improvement) but labile after-effects. These observations suggest that distinct consolidation outcomes (off-line learning and persistent after-effect) may occur depending on the learner's initial performance.
Trempe
Maxime
M
Département de Kinésiologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3T 1J4. maxime.trempe@umontreal.ca
Proteau
Luc
L
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009048:Motor Skills; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012399:Rotation; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult