The effect of Beta-tACS on the consolidation of motor memory

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event The effect of Beta-tACS on the consolidation of motor memory Liliia Roshchupkina1*, Whitney Stee1, Tommaso Faret2 and Philippe Peigneux1 1 Free University of Brussels, Belgium 2 University of Florence, Italy Motor memory consolidation is a non-linear process with critical time periods after the end of training, as evidenced by fluctuations in levels of behavioral performance. It was shown that 5 to 30 minutes (boost period) after the end of the initial learning stage, spontaneous performance gains are observed in the absence of supplementary training. This short-lived boost period presumably reflects fast synaptic consolidation processes, and constitutes an important prerequisite for subsequent successful consolidation steps. When measured 4 hours after learning (silent period) performance is not improved, and 30-minutes boost levels were shown to correlate with performance 24 hours later, indicating a link between boost and the long-term consolidation of motor memory traces. The neuronal plastic changes subtending the consolidation of the motor memories are taking place both within the primary motor cortex (M1) and subcortical loops, and synchronized oscillatory activity between brain areas within this motor network plays a crucial role in memory stabilization. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is able to entrain the brain’s oscillatory activity, hereby affecting cognitive processing and influencing brain plasticity. Previous studies showed that 20 Hz stimulation over the primary motor cortex during the boost period facilitates motor memory consolidation. However, till our knowledge, no study investigated the long-scale effects of tACS and its relation to the boost (30 min) and silent (4h) post-training periods and overnight performance gains. We hypothesized here that 20 Hz tACS delivered over M1 immediately after learning (1) may synchronize activity within related neuronal networks and improve -performance; (2) that an additional stimulation session at the end of the boost period (30’) would further increase performance; (3) and that an extra stimulation administered within the silent period (4h) would facilitate long lasting changes that may or may not be behaviorally overt after subsequent nocturnal sleep (24h later the initial learning). Five groups of healthy young adults were trained on the finger tapping motor task (FTT) and then exposed to tACS or sham stimulation immediately and at 30 min or 4h, then were tested behaviorally 24h later. Performance was calculated as the percentage of improvement from the end of learning to the test session. Our results showed improved performance from learning to test sessions, but no significant interactions with the stimulation conditions. These results suggest that 20 Hz tACS applied over M1 after motor learning does not markedly impact on the consolidation of motor memories. Future studies are needed to determine whether tACS-related improvement might be observed with different stimulation parameters, brain localization and/or time periods. Keywords: Motor memory consolidation, boost effect, tACS (transcranial alternating current stimulation), performance, Sleep Conference: 13th National Congress of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience , Brussels, Belgium, 24 May - 24 May, 2019. Presentation Type: Poster presentation Topic: Behavioral/Systems Neuroscience Citation: Roshchupkina L, Stee W, Faret T and Peigneux P (2019). The effect of Beta-tACS on the consolidation of motor memory. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 13th National Congress of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience . doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2019.96.00068 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 23 Apr 2019; Published Online: 27 Sep 2019. * Correspondence: Mrs. Liliia Roshchupkina, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium, roshchupkinaliliia@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Liliia Roshchupkina Whitney Stee Tommaso Faret Philippe Peigneux Google Liliia Roshchupkina Whitney Stee Tommaso Faret Philippe Peigneux Google Scholar Liliia Roshchupkina Whitney Stee Tommaso Faret Philippe Peigneux PubMed Liliia Roshchupkina Whitney Stee Tommaso Faret Philippe Peigneux Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.