The Differential Role of Premotor Frontal Cortex and Basal Ganglia in Motor Sequence Learning: Evidence From Focal Basal Ganglia Lesions

AbstractAdministering anodal transcranial direct current stimulation at the left dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) but not right PMd throughout the repetitive practice of three novel motor sequences resulted in improved offline performance usually only observed after interleaved practice. This gain only emerged following overnight sleep. These data are consistent with the proposed proprietary role of left PMd for motor sequence learning and the more recent claim that PMd is central to sleep-related consolidation of novel skill memory.

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Motor sequence learning in primate: Role of the D2 receptor in movement chunking during consolidation

Behavioural Brain Research ◽

10.1016/j.bbr.2008.11.002 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 198 (1) ◽

pp. 231-239 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Pierre-Luc Tremblay ◽

Marc-Andre Bedard ◽

Maxime Levesque ◽

Mark Chebli ◽

Maxime Parent ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sequence Learning ◽

D2 Receptor ◽

Motor Sequence Learning ◽

Motor Sequence

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Cortical Basal Ganglia Network Interactions During Sequence Learning in Parkinson's Disease

Neurosurgery ◽

10.1093/neuros/nyz310_369 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Doris D Wang ◽

Coralie de Hemptinne ◽

Roee Gilron ◽

Philip A Starr

Keyword(s):

Basal Ganglia ◽

Motor Cortex ◽

Motor Learning ◽

Sequence Learning ◽

Cortical Neurons ◽

Specific Information ◽

Motor Sequence Learning ◽

Motor Sequence ◽

Neural Basis ◽

Control Circuits

Abstract INTRODUCTION Learning a motor skill involves organizing a series of complex movements into sequences that can be executed efficiently and reproducibly. Once learned, these sequences generate lasting changes in motor control circuits. Animal studies suggest that the interaction between the motor cortex and basal ganglia is critically involved in motor sequence learning. In particular, the cortical neurons can encode sequence-specific information that is stored subcortically once the sequence is learned. However, how motor sequence learning in humans is not well understood. In disease states like Parkinson disease, where dopaminergic denervation to the striatum affects motor functions and motor learning, understanding the circuit mechanisms of motor learning dysfunction is critical for improving motor rehabilitation. METHODS We study the neural basis of motor sequence learning in 4 Parkinson patients by performing chronic recordings of field potentials from the motor cortex (1 patient) or prefrontal cortex (3 patients) and the pallidum while patients performed the serial reaction time task (SRTT). RESULTS All patients exhibited improvements in motor sequence learning in the SRTT. There is task-modulated increase in theta (4-8 Hz) oscillations during sequence-specific trials in the motor cortex. The pallidum in all patients showed similar increases in theta oscillation at the start of motor sequences. CONCLUSION This is the first illustration of cortical basal ganglia network interactions recorded from the human brain during motor sequence learning. Increases in cortical and subcortical theta oscillations may provide a mechanism for encoding of movement sequences.

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Using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation to investigate the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in explicit sequence learning

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0246849 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0246849

Author(s):

Hannah K. Ballard ◽

Sydney M. Eakin ◽

Ted Maldonado ◽

Jessica A. Bernard

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Skill Acquisition ◽

Direct Current ◽

Sequence Learning ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Motor Sequence Learning ◽

Motor Sequence ◽

High Definition ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal

Though we have a general understanding of the brain areas involved in motor sequence learning, there is more to discover about the neural mechanisms underlying skill acquisition. Skill acquisition may be subserved, in part, by interactions between the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex through a cerebello-thalamo-prefrontal network. In prior work, we investigated this network by targeting the cerebellum; here, we explored the consequence of stimulating the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) before administering an explicit motor sequence learning paradigm. Using a mixed within- and between- subjects design, we employed anodal (n = 24) and cathodal (n = 25) HD-tDCS (relative to sham) to temporarily alter brain function and examine effects on skill acquisition. The results indicate that both anodal and cathodal prefrontal stimulation impedes motor sequence learning, relative to sham. These findings suggest an overall negative influence of active prefrontal stimulation on the acquisition of a sequential pattern of finger movements. Collectively, this provides novel insight on the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in initial skill acquisition, when cognitive processes such as working memory are used. Exploring methods that may improve motor learning is important in developing therapeutic strategies for motor-related diseases and rehabilitation.

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Using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation to investigate the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in explicit sequence learning

10.1101/727842 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Hannah K. Ballard ◽

Sydney M. Eakin ◽

Ted Maldonado ◽

Jessica A. Bernard

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Skill Acquisition ◽

Direct Current ◽

Sequence Learning ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Motor Sequence Learning ◽

Motor Sequence ◽

High Definition ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal

AbstractThough we have a general understanding of the brain areas involved in motor sequence learning, there is more to discover about the neural mechanisms underlying skill acquisition. Skill acquisition may be subserved, in part, by interactions between the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex through a cerebello-thalamo-prefrontal network. In prior work, we investigated this network by targeting the cerebellum; here, we explored the consequence of stimulating the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex using high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) before administering an explicit motor sequence learning paradigm. Using a mixed within- and between-subjects design, we employed anodal (n = 24) and cathodal (n = 25) HD-tDCS (relative to sham) to temporarily alter brain function and examine effects on skill acquisition. The results indicate that both anodal and cathodal prefrontal stimulation impedes motor sequence learning, relative to sham. These findings suggest an overall negative influence of active prefrontal stimulation on the acquisition of a sequential pattern of finger movements. Collectively, this provides novel insight on the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in initial skill acquisition, when cognitive processes such as working memory are used. Exploring methods that may improve motor learning is important in developing therapeutic strategies for motor-related diseases and rehabilitation.

Download Full-text