Learning predefined sequences of actions is of everyday importance to acquire new motor skills. Recent evidence suggests that improvements in performance associated with motor sequence learning (MSL) take place during the quiet rest periods interleaved with practice.
— Vdellamaggiore (@vdellamaggiore) September 9, 2020
Here, we followed a multimodal MRI approach to examine if the human hippocampus is involved in the production of MOGs. We used fMRI during motor sequence learning to identify the brain areas associated with MOGs, and DWI to assess the time course of microstructural plasticity.
— Vdellamaggiore (@vdellamaggiore) September 9, 2020
As expected, whole-brain analysis of the fMRI data showed that cortico-cerebellar and cortico-striatal systems were most active during task execution. In contrast, the hippocampus and the precuneus were more active during the periods of quiet rest than during task execution. pic.twitter.com/sw7J5bzWjh
— Vdellamaggiore (@vdellamaggiore) September 9, 2020
Interestingly, the same areas of the left hippocampus and the precuneus showed learning-induced changes in microstructure 30 minutes after practice, reflected as a reduction in mean diffusivity (MD). Notably, the decrease in MD observed in the precuneus persisted 24 hours later. pic.twitter.com/JfJncjvRK2
— Vdellamaggiore (@vdellamaggiore) September 9, 2020
Our findings support the involvement of the hippocampus in the reactivation of procedural memories and provide evidence for a possible common mechanism at the basis of the formation of declarative and non-declarative memories.
— Vdellamaggiore (@vdellamaggiore) September 9, 2020