The effects of practice distribution upon the regional oscillatory activity in visuomotor learning

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a massed compared to a distributed practice upon visuomotor learning as well as upon the regional oscillatory activity in the sensorimotor cortex.MethodsA continuous visuomotor tracking task was used to assess visuomotor learning; the underlying neuronal correlates were measured by means of EEG. The massed practice group completed a continuous training of 60 minutes, while the distributed practice group completed four 15 minutes practice blocks separated by rest intervals.ResultsWhile the massed and the distributed practice group did not differ in performance, effects of practice distribution were evident in the regional oscillatory activity. In the course of practice, the massed training group showed a higher task-related theta power and a strong task-related power decrease in the upper alpha frequency over the sensorimotor cortex compared to the distributed practice group.ConclusionsThese differences in the regional oscillatory activity indicate a higher cognitive effort and higher attention demands in the massed practice group. The results of this study support the hypothesis, that a distributed practice is superior to a massed practice in visuomotor learning.

The effect of physical fatigue on oscillatory dynamics of the sensorimotor cortex

“…, Studer et al . , Pollok et al . ) and may be a neurophysiological marker of early cortical reorganization with task habituation (Pollok et al .…”

Influence of EEG tonic changes on Motor Imagery performance

“…It can be interpreted as a rhythm that regulate movement-specific sensorimotor information [20], accounted mainly by high-alpha sub-band (10-12Hz) rather than low-alpha sub-band (8-10Hz) variations that are generally connected with tonic alertness [21]. In fact lower alpha changes as ERD in 8-10Hz appears for every kind of unspecific motor behavior [22]. This is one the reasons why we split the alpha band in two sub-bands.…”

Acute Exercise as an Intervention to Trigger Motor Performance and EEG Beta Activity in Older Adults

“…In young adults, such desynchronization of beta oscillations has been shown during visuomotor force-matching tasks [41, 43, 44] and seems to reflect the efficiency of online and feedback processing of the motor system [45]. Furthermore, practicing a motor task led to weaker beta TRPow decreases not only in sensorimotor but also in frontal cortical areas in young adults [46–48], probably indicating increased automaticity and therefore, reflecting initial motor learning processes. With regard to age-related differences, in older as compared to young adults, stronger beta TRPow decreases during the performance of a force modulation task were found [49].…”