Feedback, Motor Sequence Learning, and Brain Connectivity

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Feedback delivered during motor practice can help promote motor skill learning, enhance confidence, and alter brain connectivity. However, the optimal way to provide feedback to promote learning, confidence and brain connectivity is unknown. This project will study how the feedback that is provided during practice of a movement skill can help people learn and build confidence and whether these correspond to changes in brain function. The investigators will measure motor skill performance, confidence, and resting state brain connectivity before and after a session of motor practice.

Detailed Description
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Positive social comparative feedback, which indicate to the learner that they are performing above average, is one way to enhance a learner's expectancies about future performance. Expectancies include the learners' perceived competence about their ability to perform the task, expectations about task outcome (success or failure), and predictions of extrinsic reward or positive experiences related to performance. Positive feedback during motor practice enhances expectancies, which is hypothesized to be rewarding to the learner, leading to better skill performance and learning. Reward is a powerful shaper of behavior. However, while social comparative feedback supports motor skill learning, it is unclear whether positive social comparative feedback induces a response in the dopamine reward network. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the effects of social comparative feedback during motor practice on the functional connectivity of the reward neural network. The study aims to recruit 40 participants who will be randomized into 1 of 2 feedback groups (performance feedback or performance plus positive feedback). Participants will practice a motor sequence task on a single day and then return for retention performance testing about 24 hours later. Measures of brain function and brain structure will be collected before and after practice on day 1. Changes in performance (response time to complete a sequence) and self-efficacy will be measured from baseline to 24 hours later at retention. Changes in brain functional connectivity over practice on day 1 will be assessed in the reward network and the motor network.

Official Title
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Effects of Feedback on Learning of a Motor Sequence Task and Resting State Connectivity

Conditions
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Adult

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age 18 to 40 years Right-hand dominant Exclusion Criteria: Medical diagnosis or medication that affects dopamine (e.g. dopamine reuptake inhibitors) Musculoskeletal issues that limit upper extremity movement Contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 40 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Performance Feedback<br>Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block. | Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task<br>* Participants will be seated at a laptop with the right hand on a standard joystick. The movement of the joystick will move a cursor on the computer screen. Targets will appear on the laptop screen as a circle in one of twelve spatially distinct locations. The learner must move the joystick cursor to inside the target before the next target will appear.<br>|
| Experimental: Performance plus Positive Feedback<br>Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block plus positive social comparative feedback. | Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task<br>* Participants will be seated at a laptop with the right hand on a standard joystick. The movement of the joystick will move a cursor on the computer screen. Targets will appear on the laptop screen as a circle in one of twelve spatially distinct locations. The learner must move the joystick cursor to inside the target before the next target will appear.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Response Time | Time to complete one sequence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Task Confidence | Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Brain Connectivity | Resting state connectivity between pairs of brain regions | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Peak Velocity | Average speed to capture a target within a sequence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Total Path Distance | Total distance traveled to complete one sequence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Time to Peak Velocity | Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Perceived Competence | Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Perceived Interest/Enjoyment | Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Positive Affect | Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | 
| Peak Velocity | Average speed to capture a target within a sequence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Total Path Distance | Total distance traveled to complete one sequence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Time to Peak Velocity | Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Perceived Competence | Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Perceived Interest/Enjoyment | Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Positive Affect | Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Response Time | Time to complete one sequence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Task Confidence | Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | 
| Brain Structure | Structural integrity of white matter pathways in the brain | Baseline assessment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Motor Learning, Feedback, Brain Function