Dynamic cortical involvement in implicit anticipation during statistical learning.
The prediction of future events is fundamental in a large number of critical neurobehavioral contexts including implicit motor learning. This learning process relies on the probabilities with which events occur, and is a dynamic phenomenon. The aim of present study was to investigate the development of anticipatory processes during implicit learning. A decision making task was employed in which the frequency of trial types was manipulated such that one trial type was disproportionately prevalent as compared to the remaining three trial types. A 275 channel whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system was used to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of event-related desynchronization (ERD) and synchronization (ERS). The results revealed that oscillations within the alpha (10-12 Hz) and beta (14-30 Hz) frequencies were associated with anticipatory processes in distinct networks in the course of learning. During early phases of learning the contralateral motor cortex, the anterior cingulate, the caudate and the inferior frontal gyrus showed ERDs within beta and alpha frequencies, putatively reflecting preparation of next motor response. As the task progressed, alpha ERSs in occipitotemporal regions and putamen likely reflect perceptual anticipation of the forthcoming stimuli.
Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, NIMH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Unit, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. Electronic address: m_altamura@virgilio.it.
Mario
M
Altamura
MEG Core Facility, NIMH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Frederick W
FW
Carver
Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, NIMH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Brita
B
Elvevåg
Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, NIMH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, Neuroscience, and the Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Daniel R
DR
Weinberger
Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, NIMH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; MEG Core Facility, NIMH, Building 10, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Richard
R
Coppola
D000328:Adult; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011336:Probability
Anticipatory processes; Electroencephalography; Implicit learning; Motor anticipation; Perceptual anticipation