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Abstract
Learning from errors as the main mechanism for motor adaptation has two fundamental prerequisites: a mismatch between the intended and performed movement and the ability to adapt motor actions. Many neurological patients are limited in their ability to transfer an altered motor representation into motor action due to a compromised motor pathway. Studies that have investigated the effects of a sustained and unresolvable mismatch over multiple days found changes in brain processing that seem to optimize the potential for motor learning (increased drive for motor adaptation and a weakening of the current implementation of motor programs). However, it remains unclear whether the observed effects can be induced experimentally and more important after shorter periods. Here, we used task-based and resting-state fMRI to investigate whether the known pattern of cortical adaptations due to a sustained mismatch can be induced experimentally by a short (20 min), but unresolvable, sensory–motor mismatch by impaired facial movements in healthy participants by transient facial tapping. Similar to long-term mismatch, we found plastic changes in a network that includes the striatal, cerebellar and somatosensory brain areas. However, in contrast to long-term mismatch, we did not find the involvement of the cerebral motor cortex. The lack of the involvement of the motor cortex can be interpreted both as an effect of time and also as an effect of the lack of a reduction in the motor error. The similar effects of long-term and short-term mismatch on other parts of the sensory–motor network suggest that the brain-state caused by long-term mismatch can be (at least partly) induced by short-term mismatch. Further studies should investigate whether short-term mismatch interventions can be used as therapeutic strategy to induce an altered brain-state that increase the potential for motor learning.
Highlights
IntroductionThese motor impairments cause a discrepancy (or mismatch error) between the desired movement and the executed movement
Many neurological patients suffer from motor impairments
Based on the results of the available studies in patients with subacute facial palsy, we hypothesize that short-term mismatch induces increased connectivity between the cerebellum and the basal ganglia, as well as a decreased functional connectivity in the sensory cortex and motor cortex. We investigated these hypotheses in the present study by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging in healthy participants before and after the experimental induction of a short-term sensory–motor mismatch
Summary
These motor impairments cause a discrepancy (or mismatch error) between the desired movement and the executed movement Often, these patients are unable to reduce this mismatch error by modifying their motor behavior (e.g., due to lesions of the spinal tract or peripheral nerve palsy). Facial nerve palsy is a well-suited example to study such a mismatch effect because the patient is unable to reduce the mismatch error (attempts to adapt the cerebral motor plan are ineffective due to the block of motor information in the peripheral facial nerve). It is reasonable to suggest that the mismatch, per se, drives brain changes, establishing optimized conditions for motor learning
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