Faculty Opinions recommendation of Dopaminergic projections from midbrain to primary motor cortex mediate motor skill learning.

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Krakauer
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Learning

Primary motor cortex disinhibition during motor skill learning

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Coxon ◽  
Nicola M. Peat ◽  
Winston D. Byblow
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Intracortical Inhibition ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
Pinch Grip

Motor learning requires practice over a period of time and depends on brain plasticity, yet even for relatively simple movements, there are multiple practice strategies that can be used for skill acquisition. We investigated the role of intracortical inhibition in the primary motor cortex (M1) during motor skill learning. Event-related transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess corticomotor excitability and inhibition thought to involve synaptic and extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Short intracortical inhibition (SICI) was assessed using 1- and 2.5-ms interstimulus intervals (ISIs). Participants learned a novel, sequential pinch-grip task on a computer in either a repetitive or interleaved practice structure. Both practice structures showed equivalent levels of motor performance at the end of acquisition and at retention 1 wk later. There was a novel task-related modulation of 1-ms SICI. Repetitive practice elicited a greater reduction of 1- and 2.5-ms SICI, i.e., disinhibition, between rest and task acquisition, compared with interleaved practice. These novel findings support the use of a repetitive practice structure for motor learning because the associated effects within M1 have relevance for motor rehabilitation.

scholarly journals Interactions Among Learning Stage, Retention, and Primary Motor Cortex Excitability in Motor Skill Learning

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1195-1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masato Hirano ◽  
Shinji Kubota ◽  
Shigeo Tanabe ◽  
Yoshiki Koizume ◽  
Kozo Funase
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
Learning Stage ◽  
Motor Cortex Excitability

scholarly journals Dopaminergic Projections from Midbrain to Primary Motor Cortex Mediate Motor Skill Learning

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 2481-2487 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Hosp ◽  
A. Pekanovic ◽  
M. S. Rioult-Pedotti ◽  
A. R. Luft
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Learning

scholarly journals Region and task-specific activation of Arc in primary motor cortex of rats following motor skill learning

Neuroscience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 557-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. Hosp ◽  
S. Mann ◽  
B.M. Wegenast-Braun ◽  
M.E. Calhoun ◽  
A.R. Luft
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
And Task

scholarly journals Motor-Skill Learning Is Dependent on Astrocytic Activity

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ragunathan Padmashri ◽  
Anand Suresh ◽  
Michael D. Boska ◽  
Anna Dunaevsky
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skill ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Skill Training ◽  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Metabolic Inhibitor ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
Reaching Task ◽  
Learning Impairment

Motor-skill learning induces changes in synaptic structure and function in the primary motor cortex through the involvement of a long-term potentiation- (LTP-) like mechanism. Although there is evidence that calcium-dependent release of gliotransmitters by astrocytes plays an important role in synaptic transmission and plasticity, the role of astrocytes in motor-skill learning is not known. To test the hypothesis that astrocytic activity is necessary for motor-skill learning, we perturbed astrocytic function using pharmacological and genetic approaches. We find that perturbation of astrocytes either by selectively attenuating IP3R2 mediated astrocyte Ca2+signaling or using an astrocyte specific metabolic inhibitor fluorocitrate (FC) results in impaired motor-skill learning of a forelimb reaching-task in mice. Moreover, the learning impairment caused by blocking astrocytic activity using FC was rescued by administration of the gliotransmitter D-serine. The learning impairments are likely caused by impaired LTP as FC blocked LTP in slices and prevented motor-skill training-induced increases in synaptic AMPA-type glutamate receptorin vivo. These results support the conclusion that normal astrocytic Ca2+signaling during a reaching task is necessary for motor-skill learning.

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