Cortical Excitability During de Novo Motor Learning (StimNovoLearn)

Cortical Excitability During de Novo Motor Learning in Healthy Subjects : an Exploratory Longitudinal Study

De novo motor learning is a specific learning paradigm that allows investigation of how a new motor skill is learned from scratch. Motor task learning can induce increased corticospinal excitability and reorganization of connectivity observed within the motor cortex (M1). Several studies have investigated the plasticity mechanisms underlying motor learning using simple paradigms. The results obtained have been variable, with a major trend toward increased corticospinal excitability, while other results show no increase. We expect to observe a significant increase in excitability and enhanced intracortical reorganization mechanisms within M1 in our subjects during our de novo motor learning sessions.

The primary objective of this study is to measure changes in corticospinal excitability of the motor system across 3 de novo motor learning sessions separated by different time intervals.

The secondary objectives will be: 1) to measure learning across the three practice sessions, 2) to measure changes in inhibition and facilitation across the 3 learning sessions, and 3) to measure correlations between subjects' motor performance and corticospinal and intracortical changes.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Motor Learning; Corticospinal Excitability
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: De novo motor learning

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Pierre D Morel, Dr; Phone Number: 0033781692692; Email: pierre.morel@univ-littoral.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Loos, France, 59120
    • Recruiting
    • Eurasport
    • Contact: Pierre D Morel, Doctor; Phone Number: 0033781692692; Email: pierre.morel@univ-littoral.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• right-handed
• healthy
• having signed an informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

• counter-indication to transcranial magnetic stimulation
• pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Motor learning; Subjects follow a de novo motor learning protocol	Behavioral: De novo motor learning; Subjects will follow 3 sessions of de-novo motor learning (days 1, 2, 8)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) Amplitude Input-Output Curve Assessed by Single-Pulse TMS	Motor Evoked Potential amplitude (mV) recorded from the target muscle (Abductor Pollicis Brevis) in response to increasing TMS intensities. The parameters of the sigmoid input-output curve will be calculated using a Boltzmann function fit.	Baseline (Day 1, pre-session), immediately post-session on Day 1, pre-session on Day 2, immediately post-session on Day 2, pre-session on Day 9, and immediately post-session on Day 9
Change in Short-Interval Intracortical Inhibition (SICI) Assessed by Paired-Pulse TMS	Conditioned MEP amplitude expressed as a ratio of unconditioned MEP amplitude (%), using a conditioning stimulus at 80% RMT and inter-stimulus interval of 3 ms.	Baseline (Day 1, pre-session), immediately post-session on Day 1, pre-session on Day 2, immediately post-session on Day 2, pre-session on Day 9, and immediately post-session on Day 9
Change in Long-Interval Intracortical Inhibition (LICI) Assessed by Paired-Pulse TMS	Conditioned MEP amplitude as a ratio of unconditioned MEP amplitude (%), using a conditioning stimulus at suprathreshold intensity and inter-stimulus interval of 100ms.	Baseline (Day 1, pre-session), immediately post-session on Day 1, pre-session on Day 2, immediately post-session on Day 2, pre-session on Day 9, and immediately post-session on Day 9
Change in Intracortical Facilitation (ICF) Assessed by Paired-Pulse TMS	Conditioned MEP amplitude as a ratio of unconditioned MEP amplitude (%), using a conditioning stimulus at 80% RMT and an inter-stimulus interval of 10ms.	Baseline (Day 1, pre-session), immediately post-session on Day 1, pre-session on Day 2, immediately post-session on Day 2, pre-session on Day 9, and immediately post-session on Day 9

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Motor Learning Performance Assessed by Movement Path Length During a 3D Finger-Cursor Task	Path length (mm) of the cursor trajectory during each trial of the motor learning task. Shorter path length indicates more efficient, learned movement.	During each motor learning session on Day 1, Day 2, and Day 9

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universite du Littoral Cote d'Opale

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): February 25, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 19, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 6, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2023-A02139-36

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

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