Abstract
Performance improves when participants respond to events that are structured in repeating sequences, suggesting that learning can lead to proactive anticipatory preparation. Whereas most sequence‐learning studies have emphasised spatial structure, most sequences also contain a prominent temporal structure. We used MEG to investigate spatial and temporal anticipatory neural dynamics in a modified serial reaction time (SRT) task. Performance and brain activity were compared between blocks with learned spatial‐temporal sequences and blocks with new sequences. After confirming a strong behavioural benefit of spatial‐temporal predictability, we show lateralisation of beta oscillations in anticipation of the response associated with the upcoming target location and show that this also aligns to the expected timing of these forthcoming events. This effect was found both when comparing between repeated (learned) and new (unlearned) sequences, as well as when comparing targets that were expected after short vs. long intervals within the repeated (learned) sequence. Our findings suggest that learning of spatial‐temporal structure leads to proactive and dynamic modulation of motor cortical excitability in anticipation of both the location and timing of events that are relevant to guide action.
Highlights
Many actions in daily life consist of structured sequences
We report results for the MEG session only and focus on anticipatory neural dynamics related to the utilisation of incidentally acquired combined spatial and temporal sequences
We looked for anticipatory neural dynamics that would adhere to a similar pattern, with the strongest anticipatory modulations occurring early after each response when the target is expected early
Summary
Many actions in daily life consist of structured sequences. Examples can be found in speech, driving a car, performing sports or playing the piano. Sequence learning is typically studied using the serial reaction time (SRT) task (Nissen & Bullemer, 1987), in which the order of sequence elements associated with predefined actions is repeated. The vast majority of SRT studies to date have focused on the learning about the spatial structure of events (see Abrahamse et al, 2010 and Schwarb & Schumacher, 2012 for reviews). They show that performance improves over the course of the experiment, while the precise sequence information
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