Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation
Complex motor skills can be acquired while observing a model without physical practice. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the primary motor cortex (M1) also facilitates motor learning. However, the effectiveness of observational practice for bimanual coordination skills is de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/14/2/175 |
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| author | Julianne McLeod Anuj Chavan Harvey Lee Sahar Sattari Simrut Kurry Miku Wake Zia Janmohamed Nicola Jane Hodges Naznin Virji-Babul |
| author_facet | Julianne McLeod Anuj Chavan Harvey Lee Sahar Sattari Simrut Kurry Miku Wake Zia Janmohamed Nicola Jane Hodges Naznin Virji-Babul |
| author_sort | Julianne McLeod |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Complex motor skills can be acquired while observing a model without physical practice. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the primary motor cortex (M1) also facilitates motor learning. However, the effectiveness of observational practice for bimanual coordination skills is debated. We compared the behavioural and brain causal connectivity patterns following three interventions: primary motor cortex stimulation (M1-tDCS), action-observation (AO) and a combined group (AO+M1-tDCS) when acquiring a bimanual, two-ball juggling skill. Thirty healthy young adults with no juggling experience were randomly assigned to either video observation of a skilled juggler, anodal M1-tDCS or video observation combined with M1-tDCS. Thirty trials of juggling were performed and scored after the intervention. Resting-state EEG data were collected before and after the intervention. Information flow rate was applied to EEG source data to measure causal connectivity. The two observation groups were more accurate than the tDCS alone group. In the AO condition, there was strong information exchange from (L) parietal to (R) parietal regions, strong bidirectional information exchange between (R) parietal and (R) occipital regions and an extensive network of activity that was (L) lateralized. The M1-tDCS condition was characterized by bilateral long-range connections with the strongest information exchange from the (R) occipital region to the (R) temporal and (L) occipital regions. AO+M1-tDCS induced strong bidirectional information exchange in occipital and temporal regions in both hemispheres. Uniquely, it was the only condition that was characterized by information exchange between the (R) frontal and central regions. This study provides new results about the distinct network dynamics of stimulating the brain for skill acquisition, providing insights for motor rehabilitation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:40:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-feb20ca9a5d647ef86f43ce4e957ab3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:40:14Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-feb20ca9a5d647ef86f43ce4e957ab3c2024-02-23T15:09:48ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252024-02-0114217510.3390/brainsci14020175Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor RehabilitationJulianne McLeod0Anuj Chavan1Harvey Lee2Sahar Sattari3Simrut Kurry4Miku Wake5Zia Janmohamed6Nicola Jane Hodges7Naznin Virji-Babul8Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CanadaElectronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Mumbai 400058, IndiaSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, CanadaBiomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B9, CanadaNeuroscience, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CanadaNeuroscience, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CanadaNeuroscience, Faculty of Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, CanadaSchool of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, CanadaPhysical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CanadaComplex motor skills can be acquired while observing a model without physical practice. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the primary motor cortex (M1) also facilitates motor learning. However, the effectiveness of observational practice for bimanual coordination skills is debated. We compared the behavioural and brain causal connectivity patterns following three interventions: primary motor cortex stimulation (M1-tDCS), action-observation (AO) and a combined group (AO+M1-tDCS) when acquiring a bimanual, two-ball juggling skill. Thirty healthy young adults with no juggling experience were randomly assigned to either video observation of a skilled juggler, anodal M1-tDCS or video observation combined with M1-tDCS. Thirty trials of juggling were performed and scored after the intervention. Resting-state EEG data were collected before and after the intervention. Information flow rate was applied to EEG source data to measure causal connectivity. The two observation groups were more accurate than the tDCS alone group. In the AO condition, there was strong information exchange from (L) parietal to (R) parietal regions, strong bidirectional information exchange between (R) parietal and (R) occipital regions and an extensive network of activity that was (L) lateralized. The M1-tDCS condition was characterized by bilateral long-range connections with the strongest information exchange from the (R) occipital region to the (R) temporal and (L) occipital regions. AO+M1-tDCS induced strong bidirectional information exchange in occipital and temporal regions in both hemispheres. Uniquely, it was the only condition that was characterized by information exchange between the (R) frontal and central regions. This study provides new results about the distinct network dynamics of stimulating the brain for skill acquisition, providing insights for motor rehabilitation.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/14/2/175transcranial direct-current stimulationeffective connectivityelectroencephalogramaction observationobservational learningmotor skill acquisition |
| spellingShingle | Julianne McLeod Anuj Chavan Harvey Lee Sahar Sattari Simrut Kurry Miku Wake Zia Janmohamed Nicola Jane Hodges Naznin Virji-Babul Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation Brain Sciences transcranial direct-current stimulation effective connectivity electroencephalogram action observation observational learning motor skill acquisition |
| title | Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation |
| title_full | Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation |
| title_fullStr | Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation |
| title_short | Distinct Effects of Brain Activation Using tDCS and Observational Practice: Implications for Motor Rehabilitation |
| title_sort | distinct effects of brain activation using tdcs and observational practice implications for motor rehabilitation |
| topic | transcranial direct-current stimulation effective connectivity electroencephalogram action observation observational learning motor skill acquisition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/14/2/175 |
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