Feedback, Motor Sequence Learning, and Brain Connectivity

Effects of Feedback on Learning of a Motor Sequence Task and Resting State Connectivity

Feedback delivered during motor practice can help promote motor skill learning, enhance confidence, and alter brain connectivity. However, the optimal way to provide feedback to promote learning, confidence and brain connectivity is unknown. This project will study how the feedback that is provided during practice of a movement skill can help people learn and build confidence and whether these correspond to changes in brain function. The investigators will measure motor skill performance, confidence, and resting state brain connectivity before and after a session of motor practice.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Adult
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task

Detailed Description

Positive social comparative feedback, which indicate to the learner that they are performing above average, is one way to enhance a learner's expectancies about future performance. Expectancies include the learners' perceived competence about their ability to perform the task, expectations about task outcome (success or failure), and predictions of extrinsic reward or positive experiences related to performance. Positive feedback during motor practice enhances expectancies, which is hypothesized to be rewarding to the learner, leading to better skill performance and learning. Reward is a powerful shaper of behavior. However, while social comparative feedback supports motor skill learning, it is unclear whether positive social comparative feedback induces a response in the dopamine reward network. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the effects of social comparative feedback during motor practice on the functional connectivity of the reward neural network. The study aims to recruit 40 participants who will be randomized into 1 of 2 feedback groups (performance feedback or performance plus positive feedback). Participants will practice a motor sequence task on a single day and then return for retention performance testing about 24 hours later. Measures of brain function and brain structure will be collected before and after practice on day 1. Changes in performance (response time to complete a sequence) and self-efficacy will be measured from baseline to 24 hours later at retention. Changes in brain functional connectivity over practice on day 1 will be assessed in the reward network and the motor network.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • South Carolina
    • Columbia, South Carolina, United States, 29208
      • University of South Carolina

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 38 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 to 40 years
• Right-hand dominant

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medical diagnosis or medication that affects dopamine (e.g. dopamine reuptake inhibitors)
• Musculoskeletal issues that limit upper extremity movement
• Contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Performance Feedback; Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block.	Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task; Participants will be seated at a laptop with the right hand on a standard joystick. The movement of the joystick will move a cursor on the computer screen. Targets will appear on the laptop screen as a circle in one of twelve spatially distinct locations. The learner must move the joystick "cursor" to inside the target before the next target will appear.
Experimental: Performance plus Positive Feedback; Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block plus positive social comparative feedback.	Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task; Participants will be seated at a laptop with the right hand on a standard joystick. The movement of the joystick will move a cursor on the computer screen. Targets will appear on the laptop screen as a circle in one of twelve spatially distinct locations. The learner must move the joystick "cursor" to inside the target before the next target will appear.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Response Time	Time to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Task Confidence	Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Brain Connectivity	Resting state connectivity between pairs of brain regions	Change from baseline to immediately after practice

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Peak Velocity	Average speed to capture a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Total Path Distance	Total distance traveled to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Time to Peak Velocity	Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Perceived Competence	Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Perceived Interest/Enjoyment	Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Positive Affect	Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Peak Velocity	Average speed to capture a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Total Path Distance	Total distance traveled to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Time to Peak Velocity	Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Perceived Competence	Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Perceived Interest/Enjoyment	Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Positive Affect	Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Response Time	Time to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Task Confidence	Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Brain Structure	Structural integrity of white matter pathways in the brain	Baseline assessment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of South Carolina

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 10, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): January 10, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): July 21, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 13, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 12, 2022
• Last Verified: January 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Motor Learning; Feedback; Brain Function
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00097070

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified data will be made available per reasonable request to the principal investigator 1 year after study completion.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: 1 year after study completion
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: Study Protocol

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No