Motor Skill Acquisition Promotes Human Brain Myelin Plasticity.
Experience-dependent structural changes are widely evident in gray matter. Using diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), the neuroplastic effect of motor training on white matter in the brain has been demonstrated. However, in humans it is not known whether specific features of white matter relate to motor skill acquisition or if these structural changes are associated to functional network connectivity. Myelin can be objectively quantified in vivo and used to index specific experience-dependent change. In the current study, seventeen healthy young adults completed ten sessions of visuomotor skill training (10,000 total movements) using the right arm. Multicomponent relaxation imaging was performed before and after training. Significant increases in myelin water fraction, a quantitative measure of myelin, were observed in task dependent brain regions (left intraparietal sulcus [IPS] and left parieto-occipital sulcus). In addition, the rate of motor skill acquisition and overall change in myelin water fraction in the left IPS were negatively related, suggesting that a slower rate of learning resulted in greater neuroplastic change. This study provides the first evidence for experience-dependent changes in myelin that are associated with changes in skilled movements in healthy young adults.
Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Bimal
B
Lakhani
Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Science, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Michael R
MR
Borich
Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3; Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Jacob N
JN
Jackson
Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Katie P
KP
Wadden
Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Sue
S
Peters
Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Anica
A
Villamayor
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3; Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Alex L
AL
MacKay
Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Irene M
IM
Vavasour
Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3; Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3; Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Alexander
A
Rauscher
Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3; Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
Lara A
LA
Boyd
D000328:Adult; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D066127:White Matter / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult