Identifying enhanced cortico-basal ganglia loops associated with prolonged dance training

Abstract

Studies have revealed that prolonged, specialized training combined with higher cognitive conditioning induces enhanced brain alternation. In particular, dancers with long-term dance experience exhibit superior motor control and integration with their sensorimotor networks. However, little is known about the functional connectivity patterns of spontaneous intrinsic activities in the sensorimotor network of dancers. Our study examined the functional connectivity density (FCD) of dancers with a mean period of over 10 years of dance training in contrast with a matched non-dancer group without formal dance training using resting-state fMRI scans. FCD was mapped and analyzed, and the functional connectivity (FC) analyses were then performed based on the difference of FCD. Compared to the non-dancers, the dancers exhibited significantly increased FCD in the precentral gyri, postcentral gyri and bilateral putamen. Furthermore, the results of the FC analysis revealed enhanced connections between the middle cingulate cortex and the bilateral putamen and between the precentral and the postcentral gyri. All findings indicated an enhanced functional integration in the cortico-basal ganglia loops that govern motor control and integration in dancers. These findings might reflect improved sensorimotor function for the dancers consequent to long-term dance training.

Dance on cortex: enhanced theta synchrony in experts when watching a dance piece

“…This desynchronization emerged the strongest during Dance & Music but some desynchronization was also observed during the stimuli of Dance and Stick Figure. Even if differences in the brain structure (Li et al ., ; Hänggi et al ., ; tentatively reviewed by Karpati et al ., ) and resting state connectivity (Li et al ., ) have been shown in professional dancers and musicians when compared to laymen, in our study, the cortical synchrony in rest did not differ between dancers, musicians and laymen. Furthermore, we found no group differences during the stimuli of Music, Dance or Stick Figure on any of the frequency bands studied.…”

Sexual arousal and rhythmic synchronization: A possible effect of vasopressin

“…A comparison between dancers and non dancers showed an enhanced corticobasal ganglia connectivity, in which the putamen was connected to motor cortical areas [39]. What is of interest is that being rich in sex steroid receptors, the putamen is larger in men compared to women [40].…”

Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning

“…Importantly, functional connectivity is related to motor skill learning (Albert et al, 2009;Song, Gotts, Dayan, & Cohen, 2015) and to higher levels of motor skill (Di, Zhu, Jin, Wang, Ye, Zhou et al, 2012;Ito, Matsuda, & Shimojo, 2015;Kim, Han, Kim, & Han, 2015;Milton, Solodkin, Hluštík, & Small, 2007;Li, He, Huang, Zhang, Lu, Lai et al, 2015). Functional connectivity tracks the learning of motor skills, and more distinct functional connections are associated with higher skill (Kim, Chang, Kim, Seo, Ryu, Lee et al, 2014;Milton et al, 2007).…”

“…Effective structural connections within brain regions would appear to lay the groundwork for the establishment of efficient functional connections across brain networks. Such connectivity appears to be a hallmark of experienced and expert performers (Di et al, 2012;Ito et al, 2015;Kim et al, 2015;Kim et al, 2014;Li et al, 2015;Milton et al, 2007).…”