Transition of Brain Activation from Frontal to Parietal Areas in Visuomotor Sequence Learning

Abstract

We studied the neural correlates of visuomotor sequence learning using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In the test condition, subjects learned, by trial and error, the correct order of pressing two buttons consecutively for 10 pairs of buttons (2 x 10 task); in the control condition, they pressed buttons in any order. Comparison between the test condition and the control condition revealed four brain areas specifically related to learning: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA), the precuneus, and the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). We found that the time course of activation during learning was different between these areas. To normalize the individual differences in the speed of learning, we classified the performance of each subject into three learning stages: early, intermediate, and advanced stages. Both the relative increase of signal intensity and the number of activated pixels within the four areas showed significant changes across the learning stages, with different time courses. The two frontal areas, DLPFC and pre-SMA, were activated in the earlier stages of learning, whereas the two parietal areas, precuneus and IPS, were activated in the later stages. Specifically, DLPFC, pre-SMA, precuneus, and IPS were most highly activated in the early stage, in both the early and intermediate stages, in the intermediate stage, and in both the intermediate and advanced stages, respectively. The results suggest that the acquisition of visuomotor sequences requires frontal activation, whereas the retrieval of visuomotor sequences requires parietal activation, which might reflect the transition from the declarative stage to the procedural stage.

A Blueprint for Target Motion: fMRI Reveals Perceived Sequential Complexity to Modulate Premotor Cortex

“…Most interestingly for us, all involved brain areas, but particularly premotor areas, have been reported also to underlie the planning and production of motor sequences that follow an external sequential target stimulus, as particularly evident from imaging studies using the serial reaction task paradigm (Gordon et al, 1995;Grafton et al, 1995;Hazeltine et al, 1997;Hikosaka et al, 1998Hikosaka et al, , 1996Honda et al, 1998;Sadato et al, 1996;Sakai et al, 1998;Toni et al, 1998). As expected, the present outcome indicates that an attentively observed sequential signal can be a stimulus sufficient to elicit activations within a brain network closely related to that one that participates in sequential motor behavior.…”

Learning and production of movement sequences: Behavioral, neurophysiological, and modeling perspectives

“…The theory explains how each component contributes different eompcteneies, all of whieh appear necessary when attempting to explain the brain system responsible t(Jr serial learning and production. The involvement of multiple substrates is now well c;;t:~blished (e.g., Hikosaka ct al., 1999;Sakai et al, 1998 as noted above). Of special interest is the rn()(lel's incorporation of parallel and serial representations within a consistent and unified framework) lx~cause it all0\'\ 1 S a reconciliation of mechanisms previously treated as exclusive alternatives.…”

How laminar frontal cortex and basal ganglia circuits interact to control planned and reactive saccades

“…Finally, while the FEF plays a key role in complex saccadic eye movement tasks and is essential for certain tasks such as working memory-guided tasks and complex visually-guided tasks (Deng eta!., 1986; Pierrot-Deseilligny eta!., !993), it may be less essential for some visually-guided tasks once they are overtrained. Chen and Wise (1995b) have shown that some frontal eye field cells are selectively active early in training, and Sakai et a!. ( 1998) have likewise shown with functional imaging that the cortical locus of saccade-related activity shifts from frontal to posterior saccade-related areas as learning progresses.…”