- ICH GCP
- US Clinical Trials Registry
- Clinical Trial NCT04431011
Layer-specific Contribution to Consolidation of Skill Learning in the Primary Motor Cortex
Background:
Training in a new motor skill often involves periods of active practice and periods of rest. During early motor skill learning, improvements in performance usually happen during the short rest periods between practice sessions. Researchers want to use improved imaging techniques to study the contributions of specific parts of the brain to how people learn and retain movement skills.
Objective:
To learn the part played by different layers in the brain in retaining a newly learned movement skill.
Eligibility:
Healthy, right-handed, English-speaking people age 18-50.
Design:
Participants will be screened with:
- Medical and neurological history
- Medicine review
- Physical exam
- Neurological exam.
Participants may have 2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brain. During the MRI, they will lie in the scanner. The scanner makes noise. They will get earplugs.
Participants will have behavior testing. A specific order of keys will be displayed on a computer screen. Participants will practice typing the keys with their left hand 36 times (in 10-second blocks). They will repeat this test with a random order of keys.
Participants will see single numbers displayed one after the other on the computer screen. They will make single tap responses using the finger that corresponds with the number on the screen.
Participants will have up to 4 study sessions. Each session will take about 5 hours.
Study Overview
Status
Conditions
Detailed Description
Study Description:
Training on a novel motor skill often involves periods of active practice interspersed with periods of rest. During early motor skill learning, performance improvements develop primarily during short offline rest periods that occur between practice blocks. These performance gains during rest have been referred to as 'micro-offline consolidation'. Primary motor cortex (M1) is a crucial contributor to skill consolidation, however, due to the poor spatial specificity and vascular biases of available imaging methods, the specific neural mechanisms of consolidation in M1 are not known. Recent innovations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have made it possible to measure functional changes across cortical layers. This study will use these techniques to investigate the contributions of specific cortical layers in M1 to motor skill learning and consolidation.
Objectives:
The primary aim is to determine the correlation between activity in superficial M1 cortical layers and behavioral gains during microoffline rest periods. Additionally, we will evaluate the role of superficial and deep cortical layers of M1 in the consolidation of motor skill learning. To address this question, we will measure neural activations across cortical laminae in M1 while participants consolidate a newly acquired motor skill.
Endpoints:
The primary endpoint measures will be: 1) activity in superficial M1 cortical layers during micro-offline rest periods, which will be measured using vascular space occupancy (VASO) MR imaging and 2) behavioral gains during micro-offline rest periods measured as correct sequence typing speed (sequences per second). The secondary endpoint measure will be the ratio of activity between superficial and deep M1 layers during practice and during rest periods compared to pre-learning and to post-learning rest and the localizing random sequence.
Exploratory endpoints will include other fMRI measures that may relate learning with layer activity. For example, we will use multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of activation data to: (a) gain insight into the presence of layer-specific reactivation of sequence task performance during rest periods; and (b) investigate whether this reactivation predicts learning.
Study Population:
45 Healthy participants (18-50 years of age)
Phase:
N/A
Description of Sites/Facilities Enrolling Participants:
This protocol utilizes the NIH Clinical Center Outpatient Clinic, and NMRF core facilities.
Intervention Study Duration:
24 months
Participant Duration:
Approximately 2-5 hours per session, for up to 4 sessions over a 1-4-day time period.
Study Description:
Training on a novel motor skill often involves periods of active practice interspersed with periods of rest. During early motor skill learning, performance improvements develop primarily during short offline rest periods that occur between practice blocks. These performance gains during rest have been referred to as "micro-offline consolidation". Primary motor cortex (M1) is a crucial contributor to skill consolidation; however, due to the poor spatial specificity and vascular biases of available imaging methods, the specific neural mechanisms of consolidation in M1 are not known. Recent innovations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have made it possible to measure functional changes across cortical layers. This study will use these techniques to investigate the contributions of specific cortical layers in M1 to motor skill learning and consolidation.
Study Type
Enrollment (Estimated)
Contacts and Locations
Study Contact
- Name: Tasneem F Malik, C.R.N.P.
- Phone Number: (301) 451-1335
- Email: tasneem.malik@nih.gov
Study Contact Backup
- Name: Leonardo G Cohen, M.D.
- Phone Number: (301) 496-9782
- Email: cohenl1@mail.nih.gov
Study Locations
-
-
Maryland
-
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
- Recruiting
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
-
Contact:
- For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR)
- Phone Number: TTY8664111010 800-411-1222
- Email: prpl@cc.nih.gov
-
-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Sampling Method
Study Population
Description
- INCLUSION CRITERIA:
- Age 18-50
- English speaking
- Right-hand dominance (>74 on Edinburgh Handedness Inventory)
- Normal neurological examination
- Willing and able to provide informed consent
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
- HCPS-affiliated NIH staff (i.e. - staff from our section).
- Current pregnancy
- Current or past history of use of antiepileptic drugs
- Contraindications for MRI (such as certain implants, metal fragments or devices in the body) as determined by the screening clinician
- Severe or progressive neurological, psychological or medical condition
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Observational Models: Cohort
- Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional
Cohorts and Interventions
Group / Cohort |
---|
Participants
Healthy right-handed participants aged 18-50
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
The primary aim is to determine the role of superficial and deep cortical layers of M1 in the consolidation of motor skill learning.
Time Frame: 4 years
|
To address this question, we will measure neural activations across cortical laminae in M1 while participants consolidate a newly acquired motor skill.
|
4 years
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Leonardo G Cohen, M.D., National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Publications and helpful links
Helpful Links
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Actual)
Primary Completion (Estimated)
Study Completion (Estimated)
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Other Study ID Numbers
- 200105
- 20-N-0105
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.
Clinical Trials on Normal Physiology
-
Sunnybrook Health Sciences CentreNot yet recruitingNormal Physiology
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and...National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)RecruitingNormal PhysiologyUnited States
-
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)RecruitingNormal PhysiologyUnited States
-
National Eye Institute (NEI)Recruiting
-
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)Recruiting
-
National Institute on Aging (NIA)RecruitingNormal PhysiologyUnited States
-
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases...CompletedNormal PhysiologyUnited States
-
Massachusetts General HospitalRecruitingNormal PhysiologyUnited States
-
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences...Not yet recruiting
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and...RecruitingNormal PhysiologyUnited States