Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand

Motor sequence learning is associated with the activation of bilateral primary motor cortices (M1). While previous data support the hypothesis that the contralateral M1 is causally involved in the acquisition as well as early consolidation of a motor sequence, the functional significance of the ipsi...

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Main Authors: Ariane Keitel, Henning Øfsteng, Vanessa Krause, Bettina Pollok
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00289/full
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author Ariane Keitel
Henning Øfsteng
Vanessa Krause
Bettina Pollok
author_facet Ariane Keitel
Henning Øfsteng
Vanessa Krause
Bettina Pollok
author_sort Ariane Keitel
collection DOAJ
description Motor sequence learning is associated with the activation of bilateral primary motor cortices (M1). While previous data support the hypothesis that the contralateral M1 is causally involved in the acquisition as well as early consolidation of a motor sequence, the functional significance of the ipsilateral M1 has yet to be solved. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) allows the non-invasive modulation of cortical excitability. Anodal tDCS applied to the left M1 has been shown to facilitate implicit motor sequence learning of the right hand most likely due to increased excitability. The present study aims at characterizing the functional contribution of the ipsilateral (right) M1 on implicit motor sequence learning of the right hand. To this end, 24 healthy, right-handed subjects received anodal and sham tDCS to the right M1 in a counterbalanced order. Stimulation started 8 min prior to training on a variant of the serial reaction time task (SRTT) with the right hand and persists over the entire training period. The SRTT comprised a fixed eight-digit sequence. A random pattern served as control condition. Reaction times were assessed before and at the end of the acquisition (EoA) immediately after training on the SRTT. The analysis revealed significantly faster reaction times of both hands independent of tDCS condition in sequential trials. However, the gain of reaction times was significantly smaller following anodal as compared to sham tDCS. The data suggest that anodal tDCS applied to the right M1 impairs implicit motor sequence learning of both hands. The underlying mechanism likely involves alterations of the interaction between bilateral M1.
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spelling doaj.art-429d21ee7d8a4b9d884cbac696ad73412022-12-21T18:59:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612018-07-011210.3389/fnhum.2018.00289389657Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral HandAriane KeitelHenning ØfstengVanessa KrauseBettina PollokMotor sequence learning is associated with the activation of bilateral primary motor cortices (M1). While previous data support the hypothesis that the contralateral M1 is causally involved in the acquisition as well as early consolidation of a motor sequence, the functional significance of the ipsilateral M1 has yet to be solved. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) allows the non-invasive modulation of cortical excitability. Anodal tDCS applied to the left M1 has been shown to facilitate implicit motor sequence learning of the right hand most likely due to increased excitability. The present study aims at characterizing the functional contribution of the ipsilateral (right) M1 on implicit motor sequence learning of the right hand. To this end, 24 healthy, right-handed subjects received anodal and sham tDCS to the right M1 in a counterbalanced order. Stimulation started 8 min prior to training on a variant of the serial reaction time task (SRTT) with the right hand and persists over the entire training period. The SRTT comprised a fixed eight-digit sequence. A random pattern served as control condition. Reaction times were assessed before and at the end of the acquisition (EoA) immediately after training on the SRTT. The analysis revealed significantly faster reaction times of both hands independent of tDCS condition in sequential trials. However, the gain of reaction times was significantly smaller following anodal as compared to sham tDCS. The data suggest that anodal tDCS applied to the right M1 impairs implicit motor sequence learning of both hands. The underlying mechanism likely involves alterations of the interaction between bilateral M1.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00289/fullacquisitionipsilateralmotor trainingserial reaction time task (SRTT)excitabilitynon-invasive brain stimulation
spellingShingle Ariane Keitel
Henning Øfsteng
Vanessa Krause
Bettina Pollok
Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
acquisition
ipsilateral
motor training
serial reaction time task (SRTT)
excitability
non-invasive brain stimulation
title Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand
title_full Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand
title_fullStr Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand
title_full_unstemmed Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand
title_short Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Over the Right Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Impairs Implicit Motor Sequence Learning of the Ipsilateral Hand
title_sort anodal transcranial direct current stimulation tdcs over the right primary motor cortex m1 impairs implicit motor sequence learning of the ipsilateral hand
topic acquisition
ipsilateral
motor training
serial reaction time task (SRTT)
excitability
non-invasive brain stimulation
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00289/full
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