Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis

Background: Several studies have demonstrated benefits of rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the neuroscientific foundations for rehabilitation in MS are poorly established. Objectives: As rehabilitation and motor learning share similar mechanisms of brain plasticity, we test whethe...

Πλήρης περιγραφή

Λεπτομέρειες βιβλιογραφικής εγγραφής
Κύριοι συγγραφείς: Tomassini, V, Johansen-Berg, H, Leonardi, L, Paixão, L, Jbabdi, S, Palace, J, Pozzilli, C, Matthews, P
Μορφή: Journal article
Γλώσσα:English
Έκδοση: SAGE Publications 2011
Θέματα:
_version_ 1826300695244963840
author Tomassini, V
Johansen-Berg, H
Leonardi, L
Paixão, L
Jbabdi, S
Palace, J
Pozzilli, C
Matthews, P
author_facet Tomassini, V
Johansen-Berg, H
Leonardi, L
Paixão, L
Jbabdi, S
Palace, J
Pozzilli, C
Matthews, P
author_sort Tomassini, V
collection OXFORD
description Background: Several studies have demonstrated benefits of rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the neuroscientific foundations for rehabilitation in MS are poorly established. Objectives: As rehabilitation and motor learning share similar mechanisms of brain plasticity, we test whether the dynamics of skill learning are preserved in MS patients relative to controls. Methods: MS patients and controls learned a repeating sequence of hand movements and were assessed for short-term learning. Long-term learning was tested in another cohort of patients and controls practising the same sequence daily for two weeks. Results: Despite differences in baseline performance, the dynamics and extent of improvements were comparable between MS and control groups for both the short- and long-term learning. Even the most severely damaged patients were capable of performance improvements of similar magnitude to that seen in controls. After one week of training patients performed as well as the controls at baseline. Conclusions: Mechanisms for short- and long-term plasticity may compensate for impaired functional connectivity in MS to mediate behavioural improvements. Future studies are needed to define the neurobiological substrates of this plasticity and the extent to which mechanisms of plasticity in patients may be distinct from those used for motor learning in controls.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T05:21:04Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:deec36b3-e12c-4374-8f50-442397e52ab3
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T05:21:04Z
publishDate 2011
publisher SAGE Publications
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:deec36b3-e12c-4374-8f50-442397e52ab32022-03-27T09:35:44ZPreservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosisJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:deec36b3-e12c-4374-8f50-442397e52ab3Medical sciencesEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetSAGE Publications2011Tomassini, VJohansen-Berg, HLeonardi, LPaixão, LJbabdi, SPalace, JPozzilli, CMatthews, PBackground: Several studies have demonstrated benefits of rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the neuroscientific foundations for rehabilitation in MS are poorly established. Objectives: As rehabilitation and motor learning share similar mechanisms of brain plasticity, we test whether the dynamics of skill learning are preserved in MS patients relative to controls. Methods: MS patients and controls learned a repeating sequence of hand movements and were assessed for short-term learning. Long-term learning was tested in another cohort of patients and controls practising the same sequence daily for two weeks. Results: Despite differences in baseline performance, the dynamics and extent of improvements were comparable between MS and control groups for both the short- and long-term learning. Even the most severely damaged patients were capable of performance improvements of similar magnitude to that seen in controls. After one week of training patients performed as well as the controls at baseline. Conclusions: Mechanisms for short- and long-term plasticity may compensate for impaired functional connectivity in MS to mediate behavioural improvements. Future studies are needed to define the neurobiological substrates of this plasticity and the extent to which mechanisms of plasticity in patients may be distinct from those used for motor learning in controls.
spellingShingle Medical sciences
Tomassini, V
Johansen-Berg, H
Leonardi, L
Paixão, L
Jbabdi, S
Palace, J
Pozzilli, C
Matthews, P
Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
title Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
title_full Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
title_fullStr Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
title_full_unstemmed Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
title_short Preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
title_sort preservation of motor skill learning in patients with multiple sclerosis
topic Medical sciences
work_keys_str_mv AT tomassiniv preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT johansenbergh preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT leonardil preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT paixaol preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT jbabdis preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT palacej preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT pozzillic preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis
AT matthewsp preservationofmotorskilllearninginpatientswithmultiplesclerosis