The Resting Human Brain and Motor Learning

By Citation Albert, Neil B, Edwin M Robertson, R. Chris. Current Biology, 2009

528 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Summary Functionally related brain networks are engaged even in the absence of an overt behavior. The role of this resting state activity, evident as low-frequency fluctuations of BOLD (see [1] for review, [2–4]) or electrical [5, 6] signals, is unclear. Two major proposals are that resting state activity supports introspective thought or supports responses to future events [7]. An alternative perspective is that the resting brain actively and selectively processes previous experiences [8]. Here we show that motor learning can modulate subsequent activity within resting networks. BOLD signal was recorded during rest periods before and after an 11 min visuomotor training session. Motor learning but not motor performance modulated a fronto-parietal resting state network (RSN). Along with the fronto-parietal network, a cerebellar network not previously reported as an RSN was also specifically altered by learning. Both of these networks are engaged during learning of similar visuomotor tasks [9–22]. Thus, we provide the first description of the modulation of specific RSNs by prior learning—but not by prior performance—revealing a novel connection between the neuroplastic mechanisms of learning and resting state activity. Our approach may provide a powerful tool for exploration of the systems involved in memory consolidation.

Subfields: Cognitive Neuroscience

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d47afa93cd55f304a385e4e04ac3edbe1a33bffd

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Cognitive Neuroscience

Citations in the corpus

Default network activity, coupled with the frontoparietal control network, supports goal-directed cognition (2010, unknown): “The frontoparietal control network, composed of rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), anterior insula/frontal operculum (aIfO), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), precuneus (PCu), and anterior inferior parietal lobule (aIPL), is anatomically interposed between th”
Dynamic functional connectivity: Promise, issues, and interpretations (2013, background): “, 2007), learning (Albert et al., 2009; Bassett et al., 2011; Lewis et al., 2009; Tambini et al., 2010), and large state transitions such as sleep (Horovitz et al.”
Inter-Individual Differences in Resting State Functional Connectivity Predict Task-Induced BOLD Activity (2010, background): “Modulations in RSFC were found after learning (Albert et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2009; Xiong et al., 2009), in relation to specific task demands (Barnes et al.”
Plasticity of Brain Networks in a Randomized Intervention Trial of Exercise Training in Older Adults (2010, unknown): “Another study showed that active learning was involved in enhancement of connectivity in resting state networks reflective of task-relevant regions in the learned task, while connectivity was not affected by mere rote performance of the same learned task (Albert et al., 2009).”
Schizophrenia, neuroimaging and connectomics (2012, background): “, 2007), and that they are affected by the performance of a prior task (Albert et al., 2009; Barnes et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2009; Tambini et al., 2010) and induced changes in mood state (Harrison et al.”
Learning sculpts the spontaneous activity of the resting human brain (2009, background): “(50), who demonstrated increased functional connectivity in the motor system only when subjects learn a novel task, but not when they repeat a familiar task with the same intensity.”
Measuring and manipulating brain connectivity with resting state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) (2012, methodology): “state fcMRI before and after tasks can circumvent this confound, an approach that has been used to document modulation of resting state functional connectivity by learning tasks (Albert et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2009; Tambini et al., 2010).”
Advances and Pitfalls in the Analysis and Interpretation of Resting-State FMRI Data (2010, unknown): “The existence and strength of two-way interactions between task and ‘RSN’ activity has been linked to adaptive learning (Albert et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2009), response to or recovery from high cognitive load (Pyka et al.”
Reconfigurable task-dependent functional coupling modes cluster around a core functional architecture (2014, background): “However, reconfigurations can be directly induced by changing the behavioural task or behavioural context [14–39].”
Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training on Intrinsic Brain Connectivity (2011, background): “Previous studies of training-related changes in intrinsic connectivity have demonstrated that, in general, brain networks recruited during training show robust changes in intrinsic connectivity (Albert et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2009).”
Toward discovery science of human brain function (2010, background): “For instance, functional connectivity is modulated by cognitive (47) and emotional state (48), arousal, and sleep (26), whereas structural connectivity is grossly unaffected by such factors.”
Why use a connectivity-based approach to study stroke and recovery of function? (2012, unknown): “This belief is based on a growing literature in normal subjects (Albert et al., 2009; Hampson et al., 2006; Lewis et al., 2009; Tambini et al., 2010; van den Heuvel et al., 2009) showing that in healthy subjects behavioral parameters and learning are significantly correlated with patterns of resting”
Graph Theoretical Analysis of Functional Brain Networks: Test-Retest Evaluation on Short- and Long-Term Resting-State Functional MRI Data (2011, background): “This may be related to variable mental states of participants across scans which induce variations in RSFC [19,20,21,22,23,24,25].”
Clinical applications of the functional connectome (2013, unknown): “Also suggestive of validity have been reports of changes in the functional connectome following learning in healthy volunteers (Albert et al., 2009; Lewis et al., 2009; Ma et al., 2011; Taubert et al., 2011).”