Feedback, Motor Sequence Learning, and Brain Connectivity

NCT ID: NCT04971486

Last Updated: 2022-01-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 33 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-04-01
• Study Completion Date: 2022-01-10

Brief Summary

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

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.

Conditions

Adult

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Performance Feedback

Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Motor Sequence Task

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Performance plus Positive Feedback

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.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Motor Sequence Task

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

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.

Interventions

Motor Sequence Task

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.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of South Carolina

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Jill Stewart, PT, PhD

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

University of South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

Pro00097070

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id