Feedback, Motor Sequence Learning, and Brain Connectivity

Adult Clinical Trial

Official title:

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

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04971486
• Other study ID #: Pro00097070
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 1, 2021
• Est. completion date: January 10, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: January 2022
• Source: University of South Carolina
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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.

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 33
• Est. completion date: January 10, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: January 10, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 40 Years

Eligibility

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)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Adult

Intervention

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.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of South Carolina	Columbia	South Carolina

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of South Carolina

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Response Time	Time to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Primary	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
Primary	Brain Connectivity	Resting state connectivity between pairs of brain regions	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Secondary	Peak Velocity	Average speed to capture a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Secondary	Total Path Distance	Total distance traveled to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Secondary	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
Secondary	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
Secondary	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
Secondary	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
Secondary	Peak Velocity	Average speed to capture a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Secondary	Total Path Distance	Total distance traveled to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Secondary	Time to Peak Velocity	Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Secondary	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
Secondary	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
Secondary	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
Secondary	Response Time	Time to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Secondary	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
Secondary	Brain Structure	Structural integrity of white matter pathways in the brain	Baseline assessment