Focused-attention meditation increases cognitive control during motor sequence performance: Evidence from the N2 cortical evoked potential

Previous work found that single-session focused attention meditation (FAM) enhanced motor sequence learning through increased cognitive control as a mechanistic action, although electrophysiological correlates of sequence learning performance following FAM were not investigated. We measured the persistent frontal N2 event-related potential (ERP) that is closely related to cognitive control processes and its ability to predict behavioural measures. Twenty-nine participants were randomised to one of three conditions reflecting the level of FAM experienced prior to a serial reaction time task (SRTT): 21 sessions of FAM (FAM21, N= 12), a single FAM session (FAM1, N= 9) or no preceding FAM control (Control, N= 8). Continuous 64-channel EEG were recorded during SRTT and N2 amplitudes for correct trials were extracted. Component amplitude, regions of interests, and behavioural outcomes were compared using mixed effects regression models between groups. FAM21 exhibited faster reaction time performances in majority of the learning blocks compared to FAM1 and Control. FAM21 also demonstrated a significantly more pronounced N2 over majority of anterior and central regions of interests during SRTT compared to the other groups. When N2 amplitudes were modelled against general learning performance, FAM21 showed the greatest rate of amplitude decline over anterior and central regions. The combined results suggest that FAM training provided greater cognitive control enhancement for improved sequence learning performance compared to the other groups. Importantly, FAM training facilitates dynamic modulation of cognitive control: lower levels of general learning performance was supported by greater levels of activation, whilst higher levels of general learning required less activation.

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Single-session and training effects of focused-attention meditation on neurophysiological and behavioural correlates of cognitive control during motor sequence learning

10.31234/osf.io/m8hbq ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Russell Weili Chan ◽

Phillip M. Alday ◽

Lena Zou ◽

Kurt Lushington ◽

Matthias Schlesewsky ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Cognitive Control ◽

Learning Performance ◽

Focused Attention ◽

Motor Sequence ◽

Single Session ◽

Top Down ◽

Central Regions ◽

N200 Component ◽

And Control

Recent theoretical models outline that motor sequence learning involves cognitive control processes that affects stimulus- or plan-based control, although clear contributions from the have not been delineated. Previously, we found that single-session focused attention meditation (FAM) enhanced stimulus-based control through increased top-down activation. In the present experiment, we aimed to understand if single-session FAM effects could be enhanced with short-term FAM training in behavioural reaction time, and neurophysiological indices in the form event-related potentials (ERP). We investigated the N200 component that is closely related to top-down activation, and the error-related negatively (ERN) component that is closely related to error processing for plan development. 29 participants were randomised to one of three conditions reflecting the level of FAM experienced prior to a serial reaction time task (SRTT): 21 sessions of FAM (FAM21, N= 12), a single FAM session (FAM1, N= 9) or no preceding FAM control (Control, N= 8). Continuous 64-channel EEG were recorded during SRTT whereby N200 amplitudes for correct trials, and ERN using mean difference in amplitudes for correct and error trials, were extracted. Component amplitudes, topography and behavioural outcomes were compared using linear mixed effects regression models between groups. Firstly, FAM21 exhibited faster reaction time performances in majority of the learning blocks compared to FAM1 and Control. FAM21 also demonstrated a significantly more pronounced N200 component over all anterior and the central regions during SRTT compared to FAM1 and Control. When N200 amplitudes were modelled against general learning performance, FAM21 also showed the greatest rate of decline over all anterior and the central regions during SRTT compared to FAM1 and Control. No robust differences in the ERN component were found that supported our predictions. The N200 is associated with top-down cognitive control processes, and hence may index stimulus-based learning effects; whilst the ERN is associated with error and updating of an internalised plan that may index plan-based learning effects. Firstly, our results show that after FAM training, top-down activation is increased for better block-on-block RT performances compared to the other groups. More importantly, FAM training facilitates more efficient and dynamic modulation of top-down activation such that at high levels of general learning performance, less top-down control is needed to maintain the performance.

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Contribution of the Premotor Cortex to Consolidation of Motor Sequence Learning in Humans During Sleep

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00611.2010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 104 (5) ◽

pp. 2603-2614 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

Michael A. Nitsche ◽

Michaela Jakoubkova ◽

Nivethida Thirugnanasambandam ◽

Leonie Schmalfuss ◽

Sandra Hullemann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Task Performance ◽

Rem Sleep ◽

Sequence Learning ◽

Memory Consolidation ◽

Primary Motor Cortex ◽

Premotor Cortex ◽

Reaction Time Task ◽

Motor Memory ◽

Motor Sequence

Motor learning and memory consolidation require the contribution of different cortices. For motor sequence learning, the primary motor cortex is involved primarily in its acquisition. Premotor areas might be important for consolidation. In accordance, modulation of cortical excitability via transcranial DC stimulation (tDCS) during learning affects performance when applied to the primary motor cortex, but not premotor cortex. We aimed to explore whether premotor tDCS influences task performance during motor memory consolidation. The impact of excitability-enhancing, -diminishing, or placebo premotor tDCS during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep on recall in the serial reaction time task (SRTT) was explored in healthy humans. The motor task was learned in the evening. Recall was performed immediately after tDCS or the following morning. In two separate control experiments, excitability-enhancing premotor tDCS was performed 4 h after task learning during daytime or immediately before conduction of a simple reaction time task. Excitability-enhancing tDCS performed during REM sleep increased recall of the learned movement sequences, when tested immediately after stimulation. REM density was enhanced by excitability-increasing tDCS and reduced by inhibitory tDCS, but did not correlate with task performance. In the control experiments, tDCS did not improve performance. We conclude that the premotor cortex is involved in motor memory consolidation during REM sleep.

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