Decision time and response accuracy in a conditional motor learning task are impaired independently in unilateral temporal lobe-resected patients

Memory complaints are frequently reported by patients with epilepsy and are associated with seizure occurrence. Yet, the direct effects of seizures on memory retention are difficult to assess given their unpredictability. Furthermore, previous investigations have predominantly assessed declarative memory. This study evaluated within-subject effects of seizure occurrence on retention and consolidation of a procedural motor sequence learning task in patients with epilepsy undergoing continuous monitoring for five consecutive days. Of the total sample of patients considered for analyses (N = 53, Mage = 32.92 ± 13.80 y, range = 18–66 y; 43% male), 15 patients experienced seizures and were used for within-patient analyses. Within-patient contrasts showed general improvements over seizure-free (day + night) and seizure-affected retention periods. Yet, exploratory within-subject contrasts for patients diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy (n = 10) showed that only seizure-free retention periods resulted in significant improvements, as no performance changes were observed following seizure-affected retention. These results indicate general performance improvements and offline consolidation of procedural memory during the day and night. Furthermore, these results suggest the relevance of healthy temporal lobe functioning for successful consolidation of procedural information, as well as the importance of seizure control for effective retention and consolidation of procedural memory.

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Impaired motor learning attributed to altered AMPA receptor function in the cerebellum of rats with temporal lobe epilepsy: Ameliorating effects of Withania somnifera and withanolide A

Epilepsy & Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.01.007 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 484-491 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Smijin Soman ◽

T.R. Anju ◽

S. Jayanarayanan ◽

Sherin Antony ◽

C.S. Paulose

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy ◽

Ampa Receptor ◽

Temporal Lobe ◽

Withania Somnifera ◽

Receptor Function ◽

Withanolide A

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The Disc Maze Apparatus: A Novel, Versatile Motor Learning Task

Research Quarterly American Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance ◽

10.1080/10671315.1979.10615588 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 128-131

Author(s):

Robert Wiegand

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Learning Task

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THE AGING BRAIN AND MOTOR LEARNING

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2430 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S655-S655

Author(s):

Qu Tian ◽

Roger Mullins ◽

Abby Corkum ◽

David Reiter ◽

Daniel Pupo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Middle Age ◽

Brain Activation ◽

Repeated Sequence ◽

Learning Task ◽

Initial Time ◽

Aging Brain ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Over Time

Abstract The effect of aging on motor learning is poorly understood. This study investigated response time and patterns of brain activation induced over the course of a bimanual motor learning task in three age groups. Twenty-two cognitively unimpaired participants (32%women) were grouped into Young (<35,n=6), Middle-Age (36-59,n=10), and Old (60+,n=6). A self-paced bimanual motor learning task was performed during fMRI. The task consisted of using 2 capital and 2 lower case letters in strings of 16 cues with 6 novel alternating with 6 repeated sequence blocks. To assess learning, a repeated measures ANOVA tested whether average time per slide differed over time between novel and sequence conditions. Voxel-wise changes in brain activation between novel and sequence conditions over time were examined using a within-subject repeated measures model. Faster initial time per slide was associated with younger age (p0.05). Old had increased brain activation in repeated sequence than novel conditions in right postcentral and superior parietal regions during the early half of the task compared to the second half (p0.05). We found behavioral evidence of motor learning in Middle-Age and Old, but not Young, perhaps because younger individuals performed quickly and learned sequence almost immediately. Among older individuals, sequence-specific learning in parietal regions challenges the view that it is mediated by only motor areas.

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Association of COMT val158met and DRD2 G>T genetic polymorphisms with individual differences in motor learning and performance in female young adults

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00457.2013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 111 (3) ◽

pp. 628-640 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Fatemeh Noohi ◽

Nate B. Boyden ◽

Youngbin Kwak ◽

Jennifer Humfleet ◽

David T. Burke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Motor Learning ◽

Genetic Polymorphisms ◽

Sequence Learning ◽

Learning Task ◽

Striatal Dopamine ◽

Motor Sequence Learning ◽

Motor Sequence ◽

Comt Val158met ◽

Adaptation Task

Individuals learn new skills at different rates. Given the involvement of corticostriatal pathways in some types of learning, variations in dopaminergic transmission may contribute to these individual differences. Genetic polymorphisms of the catechol- O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) genes partially determine cortical and striatal dopamine availability, respectively. Individuals who are homozygous for the COMT methionine ( met) allele show reduced cortical COMT enzymatic activity, resulting in increased dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex as opposed to individuals who are carriers of the valine ( val) allele. DRD2 G-allele homozygotes benefit from a higher striatal dopamine level compared with T-allele carriers. We hypothesized that individuals who are homozygous for COMT met and DRD2 G alleles would show higher rates of motor learning. Seventy-two young healthy females (20 ± 1.9 yr) performed a sensorimotor adaptation task and a motor sequence learning task. A nonparametric mixed model ANOVA revealed that the COMT val-val group demonstrated poorer performance in the sequence learning task compared with the met-met group and showed a learning deficit in the visuomotor adaptation task compared with both met-met and val-met groups. The DRD2 TT group showed poorer performance in the sequence learning task compared with the GT group, but there was no difference between DRD2 genotype groups in adaptation rate. Although these results did not entirely come out as one might predict based on the known contribution of corticostriatal pathways to motor sequence learning, they support the role of genetic polymorphisms of COMT val158met (rs4680) and DRD2 G>T (rs 1076560) in explaining individual differences in motor performance and motor learning, dependent on task type.

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Motor Learning Task for Changing Degree of Difficulty with Minimal Change in Nature of Task

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1968.27.3f.1153 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 27 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 1153-1154 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. L. Leavitt

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Motor Coordination ◽

Learning Task ◽

Minimal Change ◽

Gross Motor

A gross motor coordination task capable of changing performance difficulty with a minimal change in the nature of the task is described.

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Discrete-Trial Motor Learning: Influence of Practice on Individual Differences and Intra-Individual Variability

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1969.28.3.827 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 827-831 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Albert V. Carron

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Motor Learning ◽

Learning Task ◽

Individual Variability ◽

Distributed Practice ◽

Discrete Trial ◽

College Males ◽

Differential Effects

300 college males were tested on a discrete-trial motor-learning task (the peg turn) to examine the effects of practice under massing and distribution of practice upon individual differences and intra-individual variability. Massed and distributed practice did not have differential effects on these sources of variability. With practice, individual differences decreased early and then remained unchanged while intra-individual variability was substantially unchanged.

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