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Li H, Rodríguez-Nieto G, Chalavi S, Seer C, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Swinnen SP. MRS-assessed brain GABA modulation in response to task performance and learning. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:22. [PMID: 39217354 PMCID: PMC11366171 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00248-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain, has long been considered essential in human behavior in general and learning in particular. GABA concentration can be quantified using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Using this technique, numerous studies have reported associations between baseline GABA levels and various human behaviors. However, regional GABA concentration is not fixed and may exhibit rapid modulation as a function of environmental factors. Hence, quantification of GABA levels at several time points during the performance of tasks can provide insights into the dynamics of GABA levels in distinct brain regions. This review reports on findings from studies using repeated measures (n = 41) examining the dynamic modulation of GABA levels in humans in response to various interventions in the perceptual, motor, and cognitive domains to explore associations between GABA modulation and human behavior. GABA levels in a specific brain area may increase or decrease during task performance or as a function of learning, depending on its precise involvement in the process under investigation. Here, we summarize the available evidence and derive two overarching hypotheses regarding the role of GABA modulation in performance and learning. Firstly, training-induced increases in GABA levels appear to be associated with an improved ability to differentiate minor perceptual differences during perceptual learning. This observation gives rise to the 'GABA increase for better neural distinctiveness hypothesis'. Secondly, converging evidence suggests that reducing GABA levels may play a beneficial role in effectively filtering perceptual noise, enhancing motor learning, and improving performance in visuomotor tasks. Additionally, some studies suggest that the reduction of GABA levels is related to better working memory and successful reinforcement learning. These observations inspire the 'GABA decrease to boost learning hypothesis', which states that decreasing neural inhibition through a reduction of GABA in dedicated brain areas facilitates human learning. Additionally, modulation of GABA levels is also observed after short-term physical exercise. Future work should elucidate which specific circumstances induce robust GABA modulation to enhance neuroplasticity and boost performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Wippel D, Westreicher W, Gummerer M, Kluckner M, Ouaret M, Lamprecht F, Grams A, Gratl A, Wipper S. Comparing the Efficacy of Endovascular Simulation Training in Different Training Formats: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ann Vasc Surg 2024; 109:266-272. [PMID: 39013489 DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2024.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-fidelity endovascular simulators have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing interventionalists' performance metrics, including procedure time (PT), fluoroscopy time (FT), and contrast volume (CV) usage. However, it is less clear whether trainee performance, when assessed using both multidimensional global and procedure-specific rating scales (PSRS), improves in a manner consistent with these metric parameters. This study aimed to determine whether the structure of the training-conducted in block sessions or weekly intervals-impacts the effectiveness of the training. METHODS Twenty students were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, controlled, single-center trial. They were randomly divided into block and weekly training groups, each undergoing 6 hrs of supervised endovascular training on a Mentice simulator over a span of 3 weeks. At the outset and conclusion of their training, students performed a predefined peripheral endovascular intervention, which was assessed by an experienced interventionalist. Furthermore, participants were prompted to complete a survey at both the beginning and the end of the study. RESULTS Both groups exhibited significant improvements in PT, FT, CV usage, global rating scale (GRS) scores, and performance-specific rating scale scores. However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups. The simulator training notably boosted the trainee's self-confidence. CONCLUSIONS Simulator training not only enhances metric performance parameters but also improves performance as assessed by both GRS and PSRS. Whether the training is conducted in block sessions or weekly intervals did not affect its efficacy. As such, the training format can be tailored to best fit the specific circumstances and setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Wippel
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Werner Westreicher
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maria Gummerer
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michaela Kluckner
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Miar Ouaret
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Fabian Lamprecht
- Medical Student, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Astrid Grams
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexandra Gratl
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Sabine Wipper
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Czyż SH, Wójcik AM, Solarská P, Kiper P. High contextual interference improves retention in motor learning: systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15974. [PMID: 38987617 PMCID: PMC11237090 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65753-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The effect of practice schedule on retention and transfer has been studied since the first publication on contextual interference (CI) in 1966. However, strongly advocated by scientists and practitioners, the CI effect also aroused some doubts. Therefore, our objective was to review the existing literature on CI and to determine how it affects retention in motor learning. We found 1255 articles in the following databases: Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, supplemented by the Google Scholar search engine. We screened full texts of 294 studies, of which 54 were included in the meta-analysis. In the meta-analyses, two different models were applied, i.e., a three-level mixed model and random-effects model with averaged effect sizes from single studies. According to both analyses, high CI has a medium beneficial effect on the whole population. These effects were statistically significant. We found that the random practice schedule in laboratory settings effectively improved motor skills retention. On the contrary, in the applied setting, the beneficial effect of random practice on the retention was almost negligible. The random schedule was more beneficial for retention in older adults (large effect size) and in adults (medium effect size). In young participants, the pooled effect size was negligible and statically insignificant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanisław H Czyż
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
- Faculty of Sport Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.
- Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation (PhASRec), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
| | - Aleksandra M Wójcik
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Petra Solarská
- Faculty of Sport Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Paweł Kiper
- Healthcare Innovation Technology Lab, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venezia, Italy
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Cullins MJ, Connor NP. Differential impact of unilateral stroke on the bihemispheric motor cortex representation of the jaw and tongue muscles in young and aged rats. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1332916. [PMID: 38572491 PMCID: PMC10987714 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1332916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Dysphagia commonly occurs after stroke, yet the mechanisms of post-stroke corticobulbar plasticity are not well understood. While cortical activity associated with swallowing actions is bihemispheric, prior research has suggested that plasticity of the intact cortex may drive recovery of swallowing after unilateral stroke. Age may be an important factor as it is an independent predictor of dysphagia after stroke and neuroplasticity may be reduced with age. Based on previous clinical studies, we hypothesized that cranial muscle activating volumes may be expanded in the intact hemisphere and would contribute to swallowing function. We also hypothesized that older age would be associated with limited map expansion and reduced function. As such, our goal was to determine the impact of stroke and age on corticobulbar plasticity by examining the jaw and tongue muscle activating volumes within the bilateral sensorimotor cortices. Methods Using the middle cerebral artery occlusion rat stroke model, intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) was used to map regions of sensorimotor cortex that activate tongue and jaw muscles in both hemispheres. Young adult (7 months) and aged (30 months) male F344 × BN rats underwent a stroke or sham-control surgery, followed by ICMS mapping 8 weeks later. Videofluoroscopy was used to assess oral-motor functions. Results Increased activating volume of the sensorimotor cortex within the intact hemisphere was found only for jaw muscles, whereas significant stroke-related differences in tongue activating cortical volume were limited to the infarcted hemisphere. These stroke-related differences were correlated with infarct size, such that larger infarcts were associated with increased jaw representation in the intact hemisphere and decreased tongue representation in the infarcted hemisphere. We found that both age and stroke were independently associated with swallowing differences, weight loss, and increased corticomotor thresholds. Laterality of tongue and jaw representations in the sham-control group revealed variability between individuals and between muscles within individuals. Conclusion Our findings suggest the role of the intact and infarcted hemispheres in the recovery of oral motor function may differ between the tongue and jaw muscles, which may have important implications for rehabilitation, especially hemisphere-specific neuromodulatory approaches. This study addressed the natural course of recovery after stroke; future work should expand to focus on rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda J. Cullins
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Nadine P. Connor
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Rasooli A, Chalavi S, Li H, Seer C, Adab HZ, Mantini D, Sunaert S, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Swinnen SP. Neural correlates of transfer of learning in motor coordination tasks: role of inhibitory and excitatory neurometabolites. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3251. [PMID: 38331950 PMCID: PMC10853253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53901-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
We aimed to investigate transfer of learning, whereby previously acquired skills impact new task learning. While it has been debated whether such transfer may yield positive, negative, or no effects on performance, very little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms, especially concerning the role of inhibitory (GABA) and excitatory (Glu) (measured as Glu + glutamine (Glx)) neurometabolites, as measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Participants practiced a bimanual coordination task across four days. The Experimental group trained a task variant with the right hand moving faster than the left (Task A) for three days and then switched to the opposite variant (Task B) on Day4. The control group trained Task B across four days. MRS data were collected before, during, and after task performance on Day4 in the somatosensory (S1) and visual (MT/V5) cortex. Results showed that both groups improved performance consistently across three days. On Day4, the Experimental group experienced performance decline due to negative task transfer while the control group continuously improved. GABA and Glx concentrations obtained during task performance showed no significant group-level changes. However, individual Glx levels during task performance correlated with better (less negative) transfer performance. These findings provide a first window into the neurochemical mechanisms underlying task transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Rasooli
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hamed Zivari Adab
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Motor Control Laboratory, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Building De Nayer, Room 02.11, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
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Li H, Chalavi S, Rasooli A, Rodríguez‐Nieto G, Seer C, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Sunaert S, Peeters R, Mantini D, Swinnen SP. Baseline GABA+ levels in areas associated with sensorimotor control predict initial and long-term motor learning progress. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26537. [PMID: 38140712 PMCID: PMC10789216 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity relies on the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. As the primary inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu), play critical roles in synaptic plasticity and learning. However, the role of these neurometabolites in motor learning is still unclear. Furthermore, it remains to be investigated which neurometabolite levels from the regions composing the sensorimotor network predict future learning outcome. Here, we studied the role of baseline neurometabolite levels in four task-related brain areas during different stages of motor skill learning under two different feedback (FB) conditions. Fifty-one healthy participants were trained on a bimanual motor task over 5 days while receiving either concurrent augmented visual FB (CA-VFB group, N = 25) or terminal intrinsic visual FB (TA-VFB group, N = 26) of their performance. Additionally, MRS-measured baseline GABA+ (GABA + macromolecules) and Glx (Glu + glutamine) levels were measured in the primary motor cortex (M1), primary somatosensory cortex (S1), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and medial temporal cortex (MT/V5). Behaviorally, our results revealed that the CA-VFB group outperformed the TA-VFB group during task performance in the presence of augmented VFB, while the TA-VFB group outperformed the CA-VFB group in the absence of augmented FB. Moreover, baseline M1 GABA+ levels positively predicted and DLPFC GABA+ levels negatively predicted both initial and long-term motor learning progress in the TA-VFB group. In contrast, baseline S1 GABA+ levels positively predicted initial and long-term motor learning progress in the CA-VFB group. Glx levels did not predict learning progress. Together, these findings suggest that baseline GABA+ levels predict motor learning capability, yet depending on the FB training conditions afforded to the participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Amirhossein Rasooli
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Geraldine Rodríguez‐Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of RadiologyWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Richard A. E. Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain ImagingKennedy Krieger InstituteBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of Imaging and PathologyKU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Ron Peeters
- Department of Imaging and PathologyKU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Stephan P. Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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Bang JW, Parra C, Yu K, Wollstein G, Schuman JS, Chan KC. GABA decrease is associated with degraded neural specificity in the visual cortex of glaucoma patients. Commun Biol 2023; 6:679. [PMID: 37386293 PMCID: PMC10310759 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04918-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is an age-related neurodegenerative disease of the visual system, affecting both the eye and the brain. Yet its underlying metabolic mechanisms and neurobehavioral relevance remain largely unclear. Here, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in the visual cortex of glaucoma patients, as well as neural specificity, which is shaped by GABA and glutamate signals and underlies efficient sensory and cognitive functions. Our study shows that among the older adults, both GABA and glutamate levels decrease with increasing glaucoma severity regardless of age. Further, our study shows that the reduction of GABA but not glutamate predicts the neural specificity. This association is independent of the impairments on the retina structure, age, and the gray matter volume of the visual cortex. Our results suggest that glaucoma-specific decline of GABA undermines neural specificity in the visual cortex and that targeting GABA could improve the neural specificity in glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Won Bang
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA.
| | - Carlos Parra
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
| | - Kevin Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
| | - Gadi Wollstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 11201, USA
| | - Joel S Schuman
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 11201, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Kevin C Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 11201, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
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Herzog M, Focke A, Maurus P, Thürer B, Stein T. Random Practice Enhances Retention and Spatial Transfer in Force Field Adaptation. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:816197. [PMID: 35601906 PMCID: PMC9116228 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.816197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The contextual-interference effect is a frequently examined phenomenon in motor skill learning but has not been extensively investigated in motor adaptation. Here, we first tested experimentally if the contextual-interference effect is detectable in force field adaptation regarding retention and spatial transfer, and then fitted state-space models to the data to relate the findings to the “forgetting-and-reconstruction hypothesis”. Thirty-two participants were divided into two groups with either a random or a blocked practice schedule. They practiced reaching to four targets and were tested 10 min and 24 h afterward for motor retention and spatial transfer on an interpolation and an extrapolation target, and on targets which were shifted 10 cm away. The adaptation progress was participant-specifically fitted with 4-slow-1-fast state-space models accounting for generalization and set breaks. The blocked group adapted faster (p = 0.007) but did not reach a better adaptation at practice end. We found better retention (10 min), interpolation transfer (10 min), and transfer to shifted targets (10 min and 24 h) for the random group (each p < 0.05). However, no differences were found for retention or for the interpolation target after 24 h. Neither group showed transfer to the extrapolation target. The extended state-space model could replicate the behavioral results with some exceptions. The study shows that the contextual-interference effect is partially detectable in practice, short-term retention, and spatial transfer in force field adaptation; and that state-space models provide explanatory descriptions for the contextual-interference effect in force field adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Herzog
- BioMotion Center, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
- *Correspondence: Michael Herzog,
| | - Anne Focke
- BioMotion Center, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Philipp Maurus
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Benjamin Thürer
- BioMotion Center, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Thorsten Stein
- BioMotion Center, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
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Maes C, Cuypers K, Peeters R, Sunaert S, Edden RAE, Gooijers J, Swinnen SP. Task-Related Modulation of Sensorimotor GABA+ Levels in Association with Brain Activity and Motor Performance: A Multimodal MRS-fMRI Study in Young and Older Adults. J Neurosci 2022; 42:1119-1130. [PMID: 34876470 PMCID: PMC8824510 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1154-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest an important role of the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA for motor performance in the context of aging. Nonetheless, as previous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies primarily reported resting-state GABA levels, much less is known about transient changes in GABA levels during motor task performance and how these relate to behavior and brain activity patterns. Therefore, we investigated GABA+ levels of left primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) acquired before, during, and after execution of a unimanual/bimanual action selection task in 30 (human) young adults (YA; age 24.5 ± 4.1, 15 male) and 30 older adults (OA; age 67.8 ± 4.9, 14 male). In addition to task-related MRS data, task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired. Behavioral results indicated lower motor performance in OA as opposed to YA, particularly in complex task conditions. MRS results demonstrated lower GABA+ levels in OA as compared with YA. Furthermore, a transient task-related decrease of GABA+ levels was observed, regardless of age. Notably, this task-induced modulation of GABA+ levels was linked to task-related brain activity patterns in SM1 such that a more profound task-induced instantaneous lowering of GABA+ was related to higher SM1 activity. Additionally, higher brain activity was related to better performance in the bimanual conditions, despite some age-related differences. Finally, the modulatory capacity of GABA+ was positively related to motor performance in OA but not YA. Together, these results underscore the importance of transient dynamical changes in neurochemical content for brain function and behavior, particularly in the context of aging.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Emerging evidence designates an important role to regional GABA levels in motor control, especially in the context of aging. However, it remains unclear whether changes in GABA levels emerge when executing a motor task and how these changes relate to brain activity patterns and performance. Here, we identified a transient decrease of sensorimotor GABA+ levels during performance of an action selection task across young adults (YA) and older adults (OA). Interestingly, whereas a more profound GABA+ modulation related to higher brain activity across age groups, its association with motor performance differed across age groups. Within OA, our results highlighted a functional merit of a task-related release from inhibitory tone, i.e. lowering regional GABA+ levels was associated with task-relevant brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Maes
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- REVAL Research Institute, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium
| | - Ronald Peeters
- Translational MRI and Radiology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Translational MRI and Radiology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russel H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
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10
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Li H, Heise KF, Chalavi S, Puts NAJ, Edden RAE, Swinnen SP. The role of MRS-assessed GABA in human behavioral performance. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 212:102247. [PMID: 35149113 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms that drive human behavior has been a long-standing focus of cognitive neuroscience. One well-known neuro-metabolite involved in the creation of optimal behavioral repertoires is GABA, the main inhibitory neurochemical in the human brain. Converging evidence from both animal and human studies indicates that individual variations in GABAergic function are associated with behavioral performance. In humans, one increasingly used in vivo approach to measuring GABA levels is through Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). However, the implications of MRS measures of GABA for behavior remain poorly understood. In this respect, it is yet to be determined how GABA levels within distinct task-related brain regions of interest account for differences in behavioral performance. This review summarizes findings from cross-sectional studies that determined baseline MRS-assessed GABA levels and examined their associations with performance on various behaviors representing the perceptual, motor and cognitive domains, with a particular focus on healthy participants across the lifespan. Overall, the results indicate that MRS-assessed GABA levels play a pivotal role in various domains of behavior. Even though some converging patterns emerge, it is challenging to draw comprehensive conclusions due to differences in behavioral task paradigms, targeted brain regions of interest, implemented MRS techniques and reference compounds used. Across all studies, the effects of GABA levels on behavioral performance point to generic and partially independent functions that refer to distinctiveness, interference suppression and cognitive flexibility. On one hand, higher baseline GABA levels may support the distinctiveness of neural representations during task performance and better coping with interference and suppression of preferred response tendencies. On the other hand, lower baseline GABA levels may support a reduction of inhibition, leading to higher cognitive flexibility. These effects are task-dependent and appear to be mediated by age. Nonetheless, additional studies using emerging advanced methods are required to further clarify the role of MRS-assessed GABA in behavioral performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Kirstin-Friederike Heise
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Nicolaas A J Puts
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
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11
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Petitet P, Spitz G, Emir UE, Johansen-Berg H, O'Shea J. Age-related decline in cortical inhibitory tone strengthens motor memory. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118681. [PMID: 34728243 PMCID: PMC8752967 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing disrupts the finely tuned excitation/inhibition balance (E:I) across cortex via a natural decline in inhibitory tone (γ-amino butyric acid, GABA), causing functional decrements. However, in young adults, experimentally lowering GABA in sensorimotor cortex enhances a specific domain of sensorimotor function: adaptation memory. Here, we tested the hypothesis that as sensorimotor cortical GABA declines naturally with age, adaptation memory would increase, and the former would explain the latter. Results confirmed this prediction. To probe causality, we used brain stimulation to further lower sensorimotor cortical GABA during adaptation. Across individuals, how stimulation changed memory depended on sensorimotor cortical E:I. In those with low E:I, stimulation increased memory; in those with high E:I stimulation reduced memory. Thus, we identified a form of motor memory that is naturally strengthened by age, depends causally on sensorimotor cortex neurochemistry, and may be a potent target for motor skill preservation strategies in healthy ageing and neurorehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Petitet
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom; Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Equipe Trajectoires, Inserm UMR-S 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Lyon 1, Bron, France.
| | - Gershon Spitz
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Uzay E Emir
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
| | - Heidi Johansen-Berg
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Jacinta O'Shea
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity (OHBA), University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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12
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Verstraelen S, Cuypers K, Maes C, Hehl M, Van Malderen S, Levin O, Mikkelsen M, Meesen RLJ, Swinnen SP. Neurophysiological modulations in the (pre)motor-motor network underlying age-related increases in reaction time and the role of GABA levels - a bimodal TMS-MRS study. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118500. [PMID: 34428570 PMCID: PMC8547554 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been argued that age-related changes in the neurochemical and neurophysiological properties of the GABAergic system may underlie increases in reaction time (RT) in older adults. However, the role of GABA levels within the sensorimotor cortices (SMC) in mediating interhemispheric interactions (IHi) during the processing stage of a fast motor response, as well as how both properties explain interindividual differences in RT, are not yet fully understood. In this study, edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was combined with dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (dsTMS) for probing GABA+ levels in bilateral SMC and task-related neurophysiological modulations in corticospinal excitability (CSE), and primary motor cortex (M1)-M1 and dorsal premotor cortex (PMd)-M1 IHi, respectively. Both CSE and IHi were assessed during the preparatory and premotor period of a delayed choice RT task. Data were collected from 25 young (aged 18-33 years) and 28 older (aged 60-74 years) healthy adults. Our results demonstrated that older as compared to younger adults exhibited a reduced bilateral CSE suppression, as well as a reduced magnitude of long latency M1-M1 and PMd-M1 disinhibition during the preparatory period, irrespective of the direction of the IHi. Importantly, in older adults, the GABA+ levels in bilateral SMC partially accounted for task-related neurophysiological modulations as well as individual differences in RT. In contrast, in young adults, neither task-related neurophysiological modulations, nor individual differences in RT were associated with SMC GABA+ levels. In conclusion, this study contributes to a comprehensive initial understanding of how age-related differences in neurochemical properties and neurophysiological processes are related to increases in RT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Verstraelen
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
| | - Celine Maes
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Melina Hehl
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Shanti Van Malderen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Oron Levin
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Russel H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Raf L J Meesen
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
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13
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Ameliorative effects of oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis) protein hydrolysate on age-induced cognitive impairment via restoring glia cell dysfunction and neuronal injured in zebrafish. J Funct Foods 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2021.104607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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14
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Physical activity, motor performance and skill learning: a focus on primary motor cortex in healthy aging. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:3431-3438. [PMID: 34499187 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06218-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Participation in physical activity benefits brain health and function. Cognitive function generally demonstrates a noticeable effect of physical activity, but much less is known about areas responsible for controlling movement, such as primary motor cortex (M1). While more physical activity may support M1 plasticity in older adults, the neural mechanisms underlying this beneficial effect remain poorly understood. Aging is inevitably accompanied by diminished motor performance, and the extent of plasticity may also be less in older adults compared with young. Motor complications with aging may, perhaps unsurprisingly, contribute to reduced physical activity in older adults. While the development of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have identified that human M1 is a crucial site for learning motor skills and recovery of motor function after injury, a considerable lack of knowledge remains about how physical activity impacts M1 with healthy aging. Reducing impaired neural activity in older adults may have important implications after neurological insult, such as stroke, which is more common with advancing age. Therefore, a better understanding about the effects of physical activity on M1 processes and motor learning in older adults may promote healthy aging, but also allow us to facilitate recovery of motor function after neurological injury. This article will initially provide a brief overview of the neurophysiology of M1 in the context of learning motor skills, with a focus on healthy aging in humans. This information will then be proceeded by a more detailed assessment that focuses on whether physical activity benefits motor function and human M1 processes.
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15
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Apolinário-Souza T, Pereira GS, Lelis-Torres N, Nery IR, Silva RJA, Lage GM. The effect of context variability on motor learning. Hum Mov Sci 2021; 77:102794. [PMID: 33901790 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2021.102794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although the practice schedule and variation in incidental context have been investigated together, it is not clear whether just variation in incidental context can beneficiate motor learning. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of context variability on motor learning. We hypothesized the practice in a variable incidental context would enable learners to be more resistant to the effects of the contextual changes when compared to a constant incidental context practice. Twenty-four participants were assigned to one of the two groups: constant incidental context (G_CC) or variable incidental context (G_VC). During practice, the G_CC practiced a sequence keypressing task in one color and a position showed on the computer screen. The G_VC practiced the same sequence in four different combinations of color and position. Twenty four hours, the same contexts practiced on practice (SAME) was performed and immediately after, a new sequential movement in new color and new position (SWITCH) was performed. The results indicated that the G_VC showed better performance than the G_CC on the SWITCH condition, mainly in measures related to planning/selection process. The results were explained by degree of similarity among processing events engaged during different moments and by development of a filter of information based on attentional selection.
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16
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Maes C, Cuypers K, Heise KF, Edden RAE, Gooijers J, Swinnen SP. GABA levels are differentially associated with bimanual motor performance in older as compared to young adults. Neuroimage 2021; 231:117871. [PMID: 33607278 PMCID: PMC8275071 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Although gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is of particular importance for efficient motor functioning, very little is known about the relationship between regional GABA levels and motor performance. Some studies suggest this relation to be subject to age-related differences even though literature is scarce. To clarify this matter, we employed a comprehensive approach and investigated GABA levels within young and older adults across multiple motor tasks as well as multiple brain regions. Specifically, 30 young and 30 older adults completed a task battery of three different bimanual tasks. Furthermore, GABA levels were obtained within bilateral primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1), bilateral dorsal premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results indicated that older adults, as compared to their younger counterparts, performed worse on all bimanual tasks and exhibited lower GABA levels in bilateral SM1 only. Moreover, GABA levels across the motor network and DLPFC were differentially associated with performance in young as opposed to older adults on a manual dexterity and bimanual coordination task but not a finger tapping task. Specifically, whereas higher GABA levels related to better manual dexterity within older adults, higher GABA levels predicted poorer bimanual coordination performance in young adults. By determining a task-specific and age-dependent association between GABA levels across the cortical motor network and performance on distinct bimanual tasks, the current study advances insights in the role of GABA for motor performance in the context of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine Maes
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Tervuursevest 101 box, Leuven 1501 3001, Belgium.
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Tervuursevest 101 box, Leuven 1501 3001, Belgium; REVAL Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - Kirstin-Friederike Heise
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Tervuursevest 101 box, Leuven 1501 3001, Belgium.
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russel H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Tervuursevest 101 box, Leuven 1501 3001, Belgium.
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Tervuursevest 101 box, Leuven 1501 3001, Belgium.
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17
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What Is the Level of Contextual Interference in Serial Practice? A Meta-Analytic Review. JOURNAL OF MOTOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1123/jmld.2021-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
For over 40 years, the contextual interference effect in motor learning has been investigated. While the difference between levels of contextual interference experienced under blocked and random practice are well established, the difference in the levels of contextual interference experienced under serial and random practice is still ambiguous. Therefore, a meta-analytic review was conducted to clarify this inconsistency. We focused on one question: Do random practice and serial practice have the same effect on motor learning? ISI Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus database were searched. Nine studies were included. The results of our meta-analyses show that serial and random practices present the same results in terms of performance in retention and transfer tests. This result is aligned to the original finding of the contextual interference effect, as well as its explanatory hypotheses. In addition, a complementary explanation in defense of the same mechanisms operating in serial and random practices is discussed. In conclusion, our results suggest that serial practice present high contextual interference.
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18
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Age-related GABAergic differences in the primary sensorimotor cortex: A multimodal approach combining PET, MRS and TMS. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117536. [PMID: 33186716 PMCID: PMC7894275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy aging is associated with mechanistic changes in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain. While previous work mainly focused on magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)-based GABA+ levels and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-based GABAA receptor (GABAAR) activity in the primary sensorimotor (SM1) cortex, the aim of the current study was to identify age-related differences in positron emission tomography (PET)-based GABAAR availability and its relationship with GABA+ levels (i.e. GABA with the contribution of macromolecules) and GABAAR activity. For this purpose, fifteen young (aged 20–28 years) and fifteen older (aged 65–80 years) participants were recruited. PET and MRS images were acquired using simultaneous time-of-flight PET/MR to evaluate age-related differences in GABAAR availability (distribution volume ratio with pons as reference region) and GABA+ levels. TMS was applied to identify age-related differences in GABAAR activity by measuring short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI). Whereas GABAAR availability was significantly higher in the SM cortex of older as compared to young adults (18.5%), there were neither age-related differences in GABA+ levels nor SICI. A correlation analysis revealed no significant associations between GABAAR availability, GABAAR activity and GABA+ levels. Although the exact mechanisms need to be further elucidated, it is possible that a higher GABAAR availability in older adults is a compensatory mechanism to ensure optimal inhibitory functionality during the aging process.
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Beik M, Taheri H, Saberi Kakhki A, Ghoshuni M. Algorithm-Based Practice Schedule and Task Similarity Enhance Motor Learning in Older Adults. J Mot Behav 2020; 53:458-470. [PMID: 32703098 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2020.1797620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
According to the challenge point framework, task difficulty has to be appropriate to learner skill level. The pure blocked or random practice controls the task difficulty during practice monotonically. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of algorithm-based practice schedule and task similarity on motor learning in older adults. For this purpose, 60 older adults were randomly assigned into six groups of blocked-similar, algorithm-similar, random-similar, blocked-dissimilar, algorithm-dissimilar, and random-dissimilar. Sequential motor tasks were used for learning. Participants practiced absolute timing goals in similar (1350, 1500, 1650 ms) or dissimilar (1050, 1500, 1950 ms) conditions according to their practice schedule. Twenty-four hours after the acquisition phase, retention, and transfer tests were performed. Algorithm-practice was a hybrid practice schedule (blocked, serial, and random practice in forward/backward switching) that switching the schedules was according to error trial number (n ≤ 33%) in each block based on error range of absolute timing goals (± 5%). The results showed that the blocked-practice outperforms the other groups during the acquisition phase, whereas the algorithm-practice outperforms the other groups in retention and transfer in both similar and dissimilar conditions. These findings were discussed according to the challenge point framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meysam Beik
- Department of Motor Behavior, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Taheri
- Department of Motor Behavior, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Majid Ghoshuni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
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20
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Beik M, Taheri H, Saberi Kakhki A, Ghoshuni M. Neural Mechanisms of the Contextual Interference Effect and Parameter Similarity on Motor Learning in Older Adults: An EEG Study. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:173. [PMID: 32595488 PMCID: PMC7304442 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the neural mechanisms of the contextual interference effect (CIE) and parameter similarity on motor learning in older adults. Sixty older adults (mean age, 67.68 ± 3.95 years) were randomly assigned to one of six experimental groups: blocked-similar, algorithm-similar, random-similar, blocked-dissimilar, algorithm-dissimilar, and random-dissimilar. Algorithm practice was a hybrid practice schedule (a combination of blocked, serial, and random practice) that switching between practice schedules were based on error trial number, ≤33%. The sequential motor task was used to record the absolute timing for the absolute timing goals (ATGs). In similar conditions, the participants’ performance was near ATGs (1,350, 1,500, 1,650 ms) and in dissimilar conditions, they performed far ATGs (1,050, 1,500, 1,950 ms) with the same spatial sequence for all groups. EEG signals were continuously collected during the acquisition phase and delayed retention. Data were analyzed in different bands (alpha and beta) and scalp locations (frontal: Fp1, Fp2, F3, F4; central: C3, C4; and parietal: P3, P4) with repeated measures on the last factor. The analyses were included motor preparation and intertrial interval (motor evaluation) periods in the first six blocks and the last six blocks, respectively. The results of behavioral data indicated that algorithm practice resulted in medium error related to classic blocked and random practice during the acquisition, however, algorithm practice outperformed the classic blocked and random practice in the delayed retention test. The results of EEG data demonstrated that algorithm practice, due to optimal activity in the frontal lobe (medium alpha and beta activation at prefrontal), resulted in increased activity of sensorimotor areas (high alpha activation at C3 and P4) in older adults. Also, EEG data showed that similar conditions could affect the intertrial interval period (medium alpha and beta activation in frontal in the last six-block), while the dissimilar conditions could affect the motor preparation period (medium alpha and beta activation in frontal in the first six-block). In conclusion, algorithm practice can enhance motor learning and optimize the efficiency of brain activity, resulting in the achievement of a desirable goal in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meysam Beik
- Motor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Taheri
- Motor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Alireza Saberi Kakhki
- Motor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Motor Behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Majid Ghoshuni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran
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21
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King BR, Rumpf JJ, Verbaanderd E, Heise KF, Dolfen N, Sunaert S, Doyon J, Classen J, Mantini D, Puts NAJ, Edden RAE, Albouy G, Swinnen SP. Baseline sensorimotor GABA levels shape neuroplastic processes induced by motor learning in older adults. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:3680-3695. [PMID: 32583940 PMCID: PMC7416055 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research in young adults has demonstrated that both motor learning and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) trigger decreases in the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the sensorimotor cortex, and these decreases are linked to greater learning. Less is known about the role of GABA in motor learning in healthy older adults, a knowledge gap that is surprising given the established aging-related reductions in sensorimotor GABA. Here, we examined the effects of motor learning and subsequent tDCS on sensorimotor GABA levels and resting-state functional connectivity in the brains of healthy older participants. Thirty-six older men and women completed a motor sequence learning task before receiving anodal or sham tDCS to the sensorimotor cortex. GABA-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the sensorimotor cortex and resting-state (RS) functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired before and after learning/stimulation. At the group level, neither learning nor anodal tDCS significantly modulated GABA levels or RS connectivity among task-relevant regions. However, changes in GABA levels from the baseline to post-learning session were significantly related to motor learning magnitude, age, and baseline GABA. Moreover, the change in functional connectivity between task-relevant regions, including bilateral motor cortices, was correlated with baseline GABA levels. These data collectively indicate that motor learning-related decreases in sensorimotor GABA levels and increases in functional connectivity are limited to those older adults with higher baseline GABA levels and who learn the most. Post-learning tDCS exerted no influence on GABA levels, functional connectivity or the relationships among these variables in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley R King
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Elvire Verbaanderd
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kirstin F Heise
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nina Dolfen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julien Doyon
- McConnell Brain Imaging Center, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Joseph Classen
- Department of Neurology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dante Mantini
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.,Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Nicolaas A J Puts
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Geneviève Albouy
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Department of Movement Sciences, Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,LBI-KU Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
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22
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Vleugels LWE, Swinnen SP, Hardwick RM. Skill acquisition is enhanced by reducing trial-to-trial repetition. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:1460-1471. [PMID: 32049588 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00741.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing approaches to improve motor skill learning is of considerable interest across multiple disciplines. Previous research has typically shown that repeating the same action on consecutive trials enhances short-term performance but has detrimental effects on longer term skill acquisition. However, most prior research has contrasted the effects of repetition only at the block level; in the current study we examined the effects of repeating individual trials embedded in a larger randomized block, a feature that is often overlooked when random trial orders are generated in learning tasks. With 4 days of practice, a "Minimal Repeats" group, who rarely experienced repeating stimuli on consecutive trials during training, improved to a greater extent than a "Frequent Repeats" group, who were frequently presented with repeating stimuli on consecutive trials during training. Our results extend the previous finding of the beneficial effects of random compared with blocked practice on performance, showing that reduced trial-to-trial repetition during training is favorable with regard to skill learning. This research highlights that limiting the number of repeats on consecutive trials is a simple behavioral manipulation that can enhance the process of skill learning. Data/analysis code and Supplemental Material are available at https://osf.io/p3278/.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Numerous studies have shown that performing different subtasks across consecutive blocks of trials enhances learning. We examined whether the same effect would occur on a trial-to-trial level. Our Minimal Repeats group, who primarily responded to different stimuli on consecutive trials, learned more than our Frequent Repeats group, who frequently responded to the same stimulus on consecutive trials. This shows that minimizing trial-to-trial repetition is a simple and easily applicable manipulation that can enhance learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lore W E Vleugels
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.,Cognition and Systems Neuroscience Division, Institute of Neurosciences, UC Louvain, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robert M Hardwick
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.,Cognition and Systems Neuroscience Division, Institute of Neurosciences, UC Louvain, Belgium
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23
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Zivari Adab H, Chalavi S, Monteiro TS, Gooijers J, Dhollander T, Mantini D, Swinnen SP. Fiber-specific variations in anterior transcallosal white matter structure contribute to age-related differences in motor performance. Neuroimage 2020; 209:116530. [PMID: 31931154 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related differences in bimanual motor performance have been extensively documented, but their underlying neural mechanisms remain less clear. Studies applying diffusion MRI in the aging population have revealed evidence for age-related white matter variations in the corpus callosum (CC) which are related to bimanual motor performance. However, the diffusion tensor model used in those studies is confounded by partial volume effects in voxels with complex fiber geometries which are present in up to 90% of white matter voxels, including the bilateral projections of the CC. A recently developed whole-brain analysis framework, known as fixel-based analysis (FBA), enables comprehensive statistical analyses of white matter quantitative measures in the presence of such complex fiber geometries. To investigate the contribution of age-related fiber-specific white matter variations to age-related differences in bimanual performance, a cross-sectional lifespan sample of healthy human adults (N = 95; 20-75 years of age) performed a bimanual tracking task. Furthermore, diffusion MRI data were acquired and the FBA metrics associated with fiber density, cross-section, and combined fiber density and cross-section were estimated. Whole-brain FBA revealed significant negative associations between age and fiber density, cross-section, and combined metrics of multiple white matter tracts, including the bilateral projections of the CC, indicative of white matter micro- and macrostructural degradation with age. More importantly, mediation analyses demonstrated that age-related variations in the combined (fiber density and cross-section) metric of the genu, but not splenium, of the CC contributed to the observed age-related differences in bimanual coordination performance. These findings highlight the contribution of variations in interhemispheric communication between prefrontal (non-motor) cortices to age-related differences in motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Zivari Adab
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thiago S Monteiro
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thijs Dhollander
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; The Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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24
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Cuypers K, Verstraelen S, Maes C, Hermans L, Hehl M, Heise KF, Chalavi S, Mikkelsen M, Edden R, Levin O, Sunaert S, Meesen R, Mantini D, Swinnen SP. Task-related measures of short-interval intracortical inhibition and GABA levels in healthy young and older adults: A multimodal TMS-MRS study. Neuroimage 2019; 208:116470. [PMID: 31863914 PMCID: PMC9652063 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Establishing the associations between magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)-assessed gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-derived ‘task-related’ modulations in GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition and how these associations change with advancing age is a topic of interest in the field of human neuroscience. In this study, we identified the relationship between GABA levels and task-related modulations in GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition in the dominant (left) and non-dominant (right) sensorimotor (SM) cortices. GABA levels were measured using edited MRS and task-related GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition was measured using a short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) TMS protocol during the preparation and premotor period of a choice reaction time (CRT) task in 25 young (aged 18–33 years) and 25 older (aged 60–74 years) adults. Our results demonstrated that GABA levels in both SM voxels were lower in older adults as compared to younger adults; and higher SM GABA levels in the dominant as compared to the non-dominant SM voxel pointed to a lateralization effect, irrespective of age group. Furthermore, older adults showed decreased GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition in the preparation phase of the CRT task within the dominant primary motor cortex (M1), as compared to young adults. Finally, results from an exploratory correlation analysis pointed towards positive relationships between MRS-assessed GABA levels and TMS-derived task-related SICI measures. However, after correction for multiple comparisons none of the correlations remained significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Cuypers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium; REVAL Research Institute, Hasselt University, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
| | - S Verstraelen
- REVAL Research Institute, Hasselt University, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - C Maes
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - L Hermans
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - M Hehl
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - K-F Heise
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - S Chalavi
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - M Mikkelsen
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - R Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - O Levin
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - S Sunaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Gasthuisberg, UZ, Leuven, Belgium
| | - R Meesen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium; REVAL Research Institute, Hasselt University, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - D Mantini
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium; Brain Imaging and Neural Dynamics Research Group, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - S P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium; KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
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25
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Pauwels L, Chalavi S, Swinnen SP. Aging and brain plasticity. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:1789-1790. [PMID: 30067225 PMCID: PMC6128435 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Pauwels
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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26
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Apolinário-Souza T, Santos Almeida AF, Lelis-Torres N, Otoni Parma J, Pereira GS, Menezes Lage G. Molecular Mechanisms Associated with the Benefits of Variable Practice in Motor Learning. J Mot Behav 2019; 52:515-526. [DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2019.1649997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tércio Apolinário-Souza
- Departamento de Educação Física, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Flávia Santos Almeida
- Departamento de Educação Física, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Natália Lelis-Torres
- Departamento de Educação Física, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Juliana Otoni Parma
- Departamento de Educação Física, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Grace Schenatto Pereira
- Departamento de Educação Física, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Menezes Lage
- Departamento de Educação Física, Escola de Educação Física, Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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27
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Lalwani P, Gagnon H, Cassady K, Simmonite M, Peltier S, Seidler RD, Taylor SF, Weissman DH, Polk TA. Neural distinctiveness declines with age in auditory cortex and is associated with auditory GABA levels. Neuroimage 2019; 201:116033. [PMID: 31326572 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural activation patterns in the ventral visual cortex in response to different categories of visual stimuli (e.g., faces vs. houses) are less selective, or distinctive, in older adults than in younger adults, a phenomenon known as age-related neural dedifferentiation. In this study, we investigated whether neural dedifferentiation extends to the auditory cortex. Inspired by previous animal work, we also investigated whether individual differences in GABA are associated with individual differences in neural distinctiveness in humans. 20 healthy young adults (ages 18-29) and 23 healthy older adults (over 65) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan, during which neural activity was estimated while they listened to music and foreign speech. GABA levels in the auditory, ventrovisual and sensorimotor cortex were estimated in the same individuals in a separate magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) scan. Relative to the younger adults, the older adults exhibited both (1) less distinct activation patterns for music vs. speech stimuli and (2) lower GABA levels in the auditory cortex. Also, individual differences in auditory GABA levels (but not ventrovisual or sensorimotor GABA levels) were associated with individual differences in neural distinctiveness in the auditory cortex in the older adults. These results demonstrate that age-related neural dedifferentiation extends to the auditory cortex and suggest that declining GABA levels may play a role in neural dedifferentiation in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poortata Lalwani
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Holly Gagnon
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Kaitlin Cassady
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Molly Simmonite
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Scott Peltier
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Rachael D Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Stephan F Taylor
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Daniel H Weissman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Thad A Polk
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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28
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Oculomotor behavior and the level of repetition in motor practice: Effects on pupil dilation, eyeblinks and visual scanning. Hum Mov Sci 2019; 64:142-152. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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29
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Chua LK, Dimapilis MK, Iwatsuki T, Abdollahipour R, Lewthwaite R, Wulf G. Practice variability promotes an external focus of attention and enhances motor skill learning. Hum Mov Sci 2019; 64:307-319. [PMID: 30831389 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2019.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Variability in practice has been shown to enhance motor skill learning. Benefits of practice variability have been attributed to motor schema formation (variable versus constant practice), or more effortful information processing (random versus blocked practice). We hypothesized that, among other mechanisms, greater practice variability might promote an external focus of attention on the intended movement effect, while less variability would be more conducive to a less effective internal focus on body movements. In Experiment 1, the learning of a throwing task was enhanced by variable versus constant practice, and variable group participants reported focusing more on the distance to the target (external focus), while constant group participants focused more on their posture (internal focus). In Experiment 2, golf putting was learned more effectively with a random compared with a blocked practice schedule. Furthermore, random group learners reported using a more effective distal external focus (i.e., distance to the target) to a greater extent, whereas blocked group participants used a less effective proximal focus (i.e., putter) more often. While attentional focus was assessed through questionnaires in the first two experiments, learners in Experiment 3 were asked to report their current attentional focus at any time during practice. Again, the learning of a throwing task was more effective after random relative to blocked practice. Also, random practice learners reported using more external focus cues, while in blocked practice participants used more internal focus cues. The findings suggest that the attentional foci induced by different practice schedules might be at least partially responsible for the learning differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca Lewthwaite
- Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, USA; University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
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