Relationship between implicit motor learning and neurological soft signs in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

IntroductionSchizophrenia (SZ) patients present subtle motor deficits known as Neurological Soft Signs (NSS). Those deficits encompass impairments of motor coordination, sequencing of complex motor acts and sensory integration. It has been shown that SZ patients present also deficits of higher motor functions as implicit motor learning. Growing number of studies indicate that both NSS and implicit motor learning deficits are associated with impairments of common cortico-cerebellar pathways, however relationship between these two deficits has not been evaluated yet.ObjectivesTo assess NSS and implicit motor learning in SZ patients.AimsTo evaluate associations between NSS and implicit motor learning scores in SZ patients.MethodsTwenty schizophrenia patients and 20 healthy controls were examined. Patients were under olanzapine, clozapine or quetiapine treatment. NSS were assessed with Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES). Implicit motor learning were assessed with a use of Serial Reaction Time Task.ResultsSZ patients presented statistically higher NSS scores than healthy controls (P < 0.001) and presented no signs of implicit motor learning. There was statistically significant negative correlation between implicit motor learning score and total score of neurological soft signs (r = −0.44), sequence of motor acts subscore (r = −0.54) and sensory integration subscore (r = −0.47) in SZ patients group (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThere is association between implicit motor learning deficits and neurological soft signs in SZ patients.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Non-linear effects of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the primary motor cortex on implicit motor learning

Experimental Brain Research ◽

10.1007/s00221-019-05477-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 237 (4) ◽

pp. 919-925 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Gali Shilo ◽

Michal Lavidor

Keyword(s):

Motor Cortex ◽

Motor Learning ◽

Direct Current ◽

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Primary Motor Cortex ◽

Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Implicit Motor Learning ◽

Non Linear ◽

Implicit Motor ◽

Linear Effects

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Implicit motor learning in primary school children: A systematic review

Journal of Sports Sciences ◽

10.1080/02640414.2021.1947010 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-19

Author(s):

Femke van Abswoude ◽

Remo Mombarg ◽

Wouter de Groot ◽

Gwennyth Eileen Spruijtenburg ◽

Bert Steenbergen

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Motor Learning ◽

Primary School ◽

School Children ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Implicit Motor Learning ◽

Implicit Motor

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Implicit motor learning within three trials

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-81031-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jennifer E. Ruttle ◽

Bernard Marius ’t Hart ◽

Denise Y. P. Henriques

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Implicit Learning ◽

Time Course ◽

Skills Training ◽

Implicit Processes ◽

Training Performance ◽

Slow Development ◽

Implicit Motor Learning ◽

Implicit Motor ◽

And Shifts

AbstractIn motor learning, the slow development of implicit learning is traditionally taken for granted. While much is known about training performance during adaptation to a perturbation in reaches, saccades and locomotion, little is known about the time course of the underlying implicit processes during normal motor adaptation. Implicit learning is characterized by both changes in internal models and state estimates of limb position. Here, we measure both as reach aftereffects and shifts in hand localization in our participants, after every training trial. The observed implicit changes were near asymptote after only one to three perturbed training trials and were not predicted by a two-rate model’s slow process that is supposed to capture implicit learning. Hence, we show that implicit learning is much faster than conventionally believed, which has implications for rehabilitation and skills training.

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