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Upregulation of cortico-cerebellar functional connectivity after motor learning

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 17:14 authored by Mehrkanoon, S, Boonstra, TW, Breakspear, M, Mark HinderMark Hinder, Jeffery SummersJeffery Summers
Interactions between the cerebellum and primary motor cortex are crucial for the acquisition of new motor skills. Recent neuroimaging studies indicate that learning motor skills is associated with subsequent modulation of resting-state functional connectivity in the cerebellar and cerebral cortices. The neuronal processes underlying the motor-learning-induced plasticity are not well understood. Here, we investigate changes in functional connectivity in source-reconstructed electroencephalography (EEG) following the performance of a single session of a dynamic force task in twenty young adults. Source activity was reconstructed in 112 regions of interest (ROIs) and the functional connectivity between all ROIs was estimated using the imaginary part of coherence. Significant changes in resting-state connectivity were assessed using partial least squares (PLS). We found that subjects adapted their motor performance during the training session and showed improved accuracy but with slower movement times. A number of connections were significantly upregulated after motor training, principally involving connections within the cerebellum and between the cerebellum and motor cortex. Increased connectivity was confined to specific frequency ranges in the mu- and beta-bands. Post hoc analysis of the phase spectra of these cerebellar and cortico-cerebellar connections revealed an increased phase lag between motor cortical and cerebellar activity following motor practice. These findings show a reorganization of intrinsic cortico-cerebellar connectivity related to motor adaptation and demonstrate the potential of EEG connectivity analysis in source space to reveal the neuronal processes that underpin neural plasticity.

Funding

Australian Research Council

History

Publication title

NeuroImage

Volume

128

Pagination

252-263

ISSN

1053-8119

Department/School

School of Psychological Sciences

Publisher

Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science

Place of publication

United States

Rights statement

Copyright 2015 Elsevier Inc.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Health related to ageing

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