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Shalabi, Kholood Matouq. "Motor learning and inter-manual transfer of motor learning after a stroke." Thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2017. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.768491.
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Aims: 1) To measure automatically in stroke survivors and neurologically intact adults, learning, inter-manual transfer (ImT) and retention of learning (Ret.) of a task requiring two sequential actions embedded with-in a video game. 2) To assess the effect of age and side of stroke on learning, ImT, and Ret. of a motor task consisting of two sequentially linked actions. Participants: All participants were right hand dominant and included: A) 112 neurologically intact adults comprising: 72 younger adults (41 females), mean±SD age, 27.06±4.8 years, range 20-36 years and 40 older adults (26 females), mean±SD age 66.2±8.4 years, range 52- 86 years. B) 21 previously right-handed stroke survivors (7 females; 9 left hemiparesis), mean±SD age 66.7±9.3 years, range 54-82 years. Methods: We developed a video game that requires the player to perform two sequential actions to complete a task that mimics natural manipulation tasks. The players must first move a spaceship to a meteor (the Lock-in time phase), using isometric forces applied to game controllers using their hand muscles. The player must then track the trajectory of the meteor; (Hold/Track phase). The Lock-in time phase is assessed as the time from target presentation to achieving the target. The Hold/Track phase is assessed as the accuracy of Tracking within the meteor during the hold/Track phase. Performance is measured as the mean accumulative distance of the centre of the space ship from the outer edge of the target during periods when spaceship is outside the target. For both phases indicators, shorter distances represent higher performance. The Lock-in time and Hold/Track data were recorded for pre-training performance for the non-trained hand (nTH), pre-training performance for the trained hand (TH), training trials of the TH, reassessment after training of both the TH and the nTH, and a reassessment of both the TH and the nTH seven days after the baseline assessment. Statistical Analysis: Repeated-measures ANOVA was used; Time was the within-participant factor to examine learning. Two separate analyses were undertaken; to examine initial learning -Time (Pre, and Post Training) and to examine retention/consolidation - Time (Post- Training and Retention at one week). Age (Young, Older), Training Hand (right or left), and Group (neurologically intact or stroke survivors) were the between-participant factor. The dependent variables were Lock-in Time or Track.
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侯江濤 and Kong-to William Hau. "Artificial neural networks, motor programs and motor learning." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31240227.
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Hau, Kong-to William. "Artificial neural networks, motor programs and motor learning /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B2177920X.
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Randall, William Emerson. "One-trial motor learning." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape7/PQDD_0025/MQ51453.pdf.
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Yang, Jeng-Feng. "Motor learning and adaptation the role of motor abundance /." Access to citation, abstract and download form provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company; downloadable PDF file, 216 p, 2007. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3247585.
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Needle, Jamie Luke. "Motor performance and motor learning in adults with dyslexia." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2006. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/14893/.
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Assessment of motor performance and motor learning in dyslexia is crucial because of its ability to shed light on the underlying biology of the disorder and to discriminate between theoretical approaches. It remains a controversial area due to existing discrepant research findings and interpretations. Three studies are described in this thesis. The first used three sets of experiments to test balance and postural control in single and dual-task conditions. The second study examined the production and timing of responses in a classical eyeblink conditioning paradigm. The final study investigated motor skill acquisition. The results of the three studies were similar in that in dual-task balance, conditioned response timing and motor skill consolidation around half of the dyslexic adults showed substantial deficits compared with a control group. The samples of participants in the three studies overlapped sufficiently for some cross-study comparisons of strengths and weaknesses to be conducted. These showed that it was rare for a participant with dyslexia to show motor impairment in just one of the three domains, with dual task balance and conditioned response timing seeming to be most closely associated. Overall the results provide strong evidence of enduring deficits outside the literacy domain in dyslexia and also highlight the considerable heterogeneity of the disorder. Consequently they lend particular weight to the notion of cerebellar causation. Further studies should be undertaken on a larger scale to scrutinize the consistency of motor impairments in dyslexia and the possibility that those showing motor problems might form a definite subgroup within dyslexia. In the longer term, this work points to a possibility of multiple, independently diagnosable sub-classes of dyslexia, based on specific neurological abnormalities, with their own specific remediation and objective early detection schemes.
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Kaipa, Ramesh. "Evaluation of principles of motor learning in speech and non-speech-motor learning tasks." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Communication Disorders, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/10349.
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Principles of motor learning (PMLs) refer to a set of concepts which are considered to facilitate the process of motor learning. PMLs can be broadly grouped into principles based on (1) the structure of practice/treatment, and (2) the nature of feedback provided during practice/treatment. Application of PMLs is most evident in studies involving non-speech- motor tasks (e.g., limb movement). However, only a few studies have investigated the application of PMLs in speech-motor tasks. Previous studies relating to speech-motor function have highlighted two primary limitations: (1) Failure to consider whether various PMLs contribute equally to learning in both non-speech and speech-motor tasks, (2) Failure to consider whether PMLs can be effective in a clinical cohort in comparison to a healthy group. The present research was designed to shed light on whether selected PMLs can indeed facilitate learning in both non-speech and speech-motor tasks and also to examine their efficacy in a clinical group with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in comparison to a healthy group.
Eighty healthy subjects with no history of sensory, cognitive, or neurological abnormalities, ranging 40-80 years of age, and 16 patients with PD, ranging 58-78 years of age, were recruited as participants for the current study. Four practice conditions and one feedback condition were considered in the training of a speech-motor task and a non-speech- motor task. The four practice conditions were (1) constant practice, (2) variable practice, (3) blocked practice, and (4) random practice. The feedback was a combination of low-frequency, knowledge of results, knowledge of performance, and delayed feedback conditions, and was paired with each of the four practice conditions. The participants in the clinical and non-clinical groups were required to practise a speech and a non-speech-motor learning task. Each participant was randomly and equally assigned to one of the four practice groups. The speech-motor task involved production of a meaningless and temporally modified phrase, and the non-speech-motor task involved practising a 12-note musical sequence using a portable piano keyboard.
Each participant was seen on three consecutive days: the first two days served as the acquisition phase and the third day was the retention phase. During the acquisition phase, the participants practised 50 trials of the speech phrase and another 50 trials of the musical tune each day, and each session lasted for 60-90 min. Performance on the speech and non-speech tasks was preceded by an orthographic model of the target phrase/musical sequence displayed on a computer monitor along with an auditory model. The participants were instructed to match their performance to the target phrase/musical sequence exactly. Feedback on performance was provided after every 10th trial. The nature of practice differed among the four practice groups. The participants returned on the third day for the retention phase and produced 10 trials of the target phrase and another 10 trials of the musical sequence. Feedback was not provided during or after the retention trials. These final trials were recorded for later acoustic analyses.
The analyses focused on spatial and temporal parameters of the speech and non-speech tasks. Spatial analysis involved evaluating the production accuracy of target phrase/tune by calculating the percentage of phonemes/keystrokes correct (PPC/PKC). The temporal analysis involved calculating the temporal synchrony of the participant productions (speech phrase & tune) during the retention trials with the target phrase and tune, respectively, through the phi correlation. The PPC/PKC and phi correlation values were subjected to a series of mixed model ANOVAs.
In the healthy subjects, the results of the spatial learning revealed that the participants learned the speech task better than the non-speech (keyboard) task. In terms of temporal learning, there was no difference in learning between the speech and non-speech tasks. On an overall note, the participants performed better on the spatial domain, rather than on the temporal domain, indicating a spatial-temporal trade-off. Across spatial as well as temporal learning, participants in the constant practice condition learned the speech and non-speech tasks better than participants in the other practice conditions. Another interesting finding was that there was an age effect, with the younger participants demonstrating superior spatial and temporal learning to that of the older participants, except for temporal learning on the keyboard task for which there was no difference. In contrast, the PD group showed no significant differences on spatial or temporal learning between any of the four practice conditions. Furthermore, although the PD patients had poorer performances than the healthy subjects on both the speech and keyboard tasks, they showed very similar pattern of learning across all four practice conditions to that of the healthy subjects.
The findings in the current study tend to have potential applications in speech-language therapy, and are as follows: (1) a constant practice regime could be beneficial in developing speech therapy protocols to treat motor-based communication disorders (e.g., dysarthria), (2) speech therapists need to exercise caution in designing speech therapy goals incorporating similar PMLs for younger and older adults, as the application of similar PMLs in younger and older adults may bring about different learning outcomes, (3) and finally, it could be beneficial for patients to practise speech tasks which would require them to focus either on the spatial or temporal aspect, rather than focussing on both the aspects simultaneously.
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Brashers-Krug, Thomas M. (Thomas More). "Consolidation in human motor learning." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/11884.
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Jackson, Carl Patrick Thomas. "Motor learning and predictive control." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.519400.
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Howard, III James Thomas. "Physical guidance in motor learning." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2003. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/15899/1/James_Howard_Thesis.pdf.
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Previous studies of physical guidance (PG - physically constraining error during practice of a motor task) have found it to be ineffective in enhancing motor learning. However, most studies have used a highly constraining form of physical guidance that may have encouraged undue dependency. In addition, previous research has not fully considered the interaction between visual feedback and PG, and many of the studies have failed to use standard delayed retention tests with knowledge of results unavailable (no-KR). The current experiment examine the effects of varying levels of constraint in PG, as well as the interaction of PG and visual guidance (VG), using no-KR retention tests. This study involved 99 subjects divided into nine acquisition trial condition groups, forming from a 3 x 3 factorial design with factors of PG x VG, each presented at levels designated as tight, bandwidth, or none. Subjects undertook a two-dimensional pattern drawing task with no KR, PG, or VG as a pre-test, before completing 100 practice trials under one of the nine conditions. The same test was given as a retention test (immediately after practice) and as a delayed retention test (two days later). A transfer test, using a different pattern, was also administered on the second day. Almost all groups performed better on the immediate transfer test than they had on the pre-test. However, after two days only three groups (PG bandwidth-VG tight, PG none-VG bandwidth, and PG none-VG none) retained this improvement and only two groups (PG bandwidth-VG bandwidth and PG none-VG none) performed significantly better on the transfer task than their pre-test. It is proposed that bandwidth guidance generally promotes learning and that bandwidth physical guidance may enhance proprioceptive cues. Independent of PG and VG effects, KR (an overall error score) also facilitated learning.
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Howard, III James Thomas. "Physical Guidance in Motor Learning." Queensland University of Technology, 2003. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/15899/.
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Previous studies of physical guidance (PG - physically constraining error during practice of a motor task) have found it to be ineffective in enhancing motor learning. However, most studies have used a highly constraining form of physical guidance that may have encouraged undue dependency. In addition, previous research has not fully considered the interaction between visual feedback and PG, and many of the studies have failed to use standard delayed retention tests with knowledge of results unavailable (no-KR). The current experiment examine the effects of varying levels of constraint in PG, as well as the interaction of PG and visual guidance (VG), using no-KR retention tests. This study involved 99 subjects divided into nine acquisition trial condition groups, forming from a 3 x 3 factorial design with factors of PG x VG, each presented at levels designated as tight, bandwidth, or none. Subjects undertook a two-dimensional pattern drawing task with no KR, PG, or VG as a pre-test, before completing 100 practice trials under one of the nine conditions. The same test was given as a retention test (immediately after practice) and as a delayed retention test (two days later). A transfer test, using a different pattern, was also administered on the second day. Almost all groups performed better on the immediate transfer test than they had on the pre-test. However, after two days only three groups (PG bandwidth-VG tight, PG none-VG bandwidth, and PG none-VG none) retained this improvement and only two groups (PG bandwidth-VG bandwidth and PG none-VG none) performed significantly better on the transfer task than their pre-test. It is proposed that bandwidth guidance generally promotes learning and that bandwidth physical guidance may enhance proprioceptive cues. Independent of PG and VG effects, KR (an overall error score) also facilitated learning.
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PONTE, CHIARA. "Motor learning in Parkinson's Disease." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Genova, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/11567/1094283.
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The primary objective of these studies was to investigate motor learning processes through innovative approaches: (i) a new combined take that integrates motor sequence learning and motor adaptation; (ii) developing a computational model able to mimic real healthy subjects data. In this work, we first investigated the interaction of visuomotor adaptation and sequence learning in the early acquisition phase. Our results showed that simultaneous learning selectively affects both in different ways compared to sequence learning and rotation adaptation alone. Furthermore, our results showed significant differences in the number of anticipatory movements by comparing the combined task with the sequence learning alone. In particular, at the end of the training phase, subjects better anticipate the sequence in the explicit task alone. This finding corroborates a higher verbal score in the explicit task than combined. A second study aimed to understand motor learning processes in their early stage by computing a computational model that mimics the neurophysiological mechanism underpinning motor learning. We developed an integrated model (characterized by a combination of supervised and reinforcement learning) that exhibits a faster learning process concerning the classic reinforcement learning model.
This faster learning process of the integrated model was due to its improved exploration strategy. In particular, since the model gets the reward for the first time, the supervised component can learn a first coarse trajectory to reach the target. This trajectory affects the exploration by reducing its randomness and making it more focused on the target. The RL component then gradually improves the sub-optimal initial solution trial after trial while avoiding unneeded explorations as in the pure RL model. Similarly, the SL component gradually improves its behavior by receiving a better teaching signal (trajectories) from the RL processes. This mutual training between SL and RL thus produced a faster learning process.
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AVILA, MIRELES EDWIN JOHNATAN. "Motor Learning and Motor Control Mechanisms in an Haptic Dyad." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Genova, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11567/929642.
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The word “dyad” defines the interaction between two human or cybernetic organisms. During such interaction, there is an organized flow of information between the two elements of the dyad, in a fully bidirectional manner. With this mutual knowledge they are able to understand the actual state of the dyad as well as the previous states and, in some cases, to predict a response for possible scenarios. In the studies presented in this thesis we aim to understand the kind of information exchanged during dyadic interaction and the way this information is communicated from one individual to another not only in a purely dyadic context but also in a more general social sense, namely dissemination of knowledge via physical and non-physical interpersonal interactions. More specifically, the focus of the experimental activities will be on motor learning and motor control mechanisms, in the general context of embodied motor cognition.
Solving a task promotes the creation of an internal representation of the dynamical characteristics of the working environment. An understanding of the environmental characteristics allows the subjects to become proficient in such task. We also intended to evaluate the application of such a model when it is created and applied under different conditions and using different body parts. For example, we investigated how human subjects can generalize the acquired model of a certain task, carried out by means of the wrist, in the sense of mapping the skill from the distal degrees of freedom of the wrist to the proximal degrees of freedom of the arm (elbow & shoulder), under the same dynamical conditions. In the same line of reasoning, namely that individuals solving a certain task need to develop an internal model of the environment, we investigated in which manner different skill levels of the two partners of a dyad interfere with the overall learning/training process. It is known indeed that internal models are essential for allowing dyadic member to apply different motor control strategies for completing the task. Previous studies have shown that the internal model created in a solo performance can be shared and exploited in a dyadic collaboration to solve the same task. In our study we went a step forward by demonstrating that learning an unstable task in a dyad propitiates the creation of a shared internal model of the task, which includes the representation of the mutual forces applied by the partners. Thus when the partners in the dyad have different knowledge levels of the task, the representation created by the less proficient partner can be mistaken since it may include the proficient partner as part of the dynamical conditions of the task instead of as the assistance helping him to complete the experiments. For this reason we implemented a dyadic learning protocol that allows the naïve subject to explore and create an accurate internal model, while exploiting, at the same time, the advantage of working with an skilled partner.
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Nadler, Anna Martine. "Central motor reorganisation following stroke and motor learning studied in man." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.342305.
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Rudisch, Julian. "Bimanual coordination and motor learning in children with unilateral motor disorders." Thesis, Oxford Brookes University, 2016. https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/60083e1e-132f-4974-907c-2aef30f27d31/1/.
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Introduction: Appropriate bimanual coordination is essential for many tasks in daily life. Children with unilateral cerebral palsy (uCP) however struggle with the execution of such tasks. Extensive research has been done investigating motor impairments on a functional level using standardized procedures. There is a lack of studies however looking at the specific problem of coordination of a bimanual task, especially with respect to the different underlying neuropathologies. Aims & Methods: Within this thesis, kinematics of bimanual hand movement during a role differentiated bimanual box opening task in children with uCP, as well as in typically developing children (TDC) of similar ages, were investigated. The aims were: i) to identify behavioural changes in peak periods of development of the corpus callosum and areas of the prefrontal cortex, both of which are related to bimanual function in typically developing children; ii) to explore the relation between motor impairments of children with uCP and their bimanual coordination and iii) to investigate the impact of various underlying neuropathologies on bimanual coordination in children with uCP. Results: For the first study, a total of 37 TDC between 5 and 16 years were included and allocated to their respective age-group: Young Children (YC: 5-6 years), Old Children (OC: 7-9 years) and Adolescents (AD: 10-16 years). The two older groups performed the task significantly faster than YC. Likewise, a trend (yet without reaching significance) towards a more ideal temporal sequencing was shown between YC and the two older groups. In contrast, spatial accuracy as expressed by the path length increased only in the AD group. For the second study, a total of 37 children with uCP between 7 and 17 years were included. Children presented manual impairments between levels I and III (according to the Manual Ability Classification System). It could be shown that task duration increased and spatial accuracy decreased with increasing levels of impairment, especially in children with higher levels of impairment (level III). Furthermore it could be shown that a subgroup of children experienced an involuntary interference when moving their affected hand, limiting the use of their less affected hand. The third study utilised a multiple case study involving nine children diagnosed with uCP with neuroimaging and neurophysiological data. The children were found to have various neuropathological patterns resulting in different forms and severities of motor impairments. It could be shown that grey-matter lesions had the most severe impact on manual abilities. Conclusion: In TDC, performance of bimanual hand movements was temporally related to peak developmental periods of the corpus callosum, emphasizing the importance of interhemispheric exchange of information for bimanual coordination. In children with uCP, bimanual performance was related to the level of impairment of the affected hand. In addition it was found however that some children show excessive bimanual interference when using their affected hand in a bimanual task which limits the functionality of the less affected hand, possibly related to i) ipsilateral corticomotor projection patterns from the less affected hemisphere to the affected hand or ii) lack of suppression of interhemispheric crosstalk. It could also be shown that the various neuropathologies can affect bimanual motor control differently. Detailed diagnosis of the neuropathology and motor impairment are thus essential for the planning of tailored therapy interventions.
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Karpathy, Andrej. "Staged learning of agile motor skills." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/34643.
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Motor learning lies at the heart of how humans and animals acquire their skills. Understanding of this process enables many benefits in Robotics, physics-based Computer Animation, and other areas of science and engineering. In this thesis, we develop a computational framework for learning of agile, integrated motor skills.
Our algorithm draws inspiration from the process by which humans and animals acquire their skills in nature. Specifically, all skills are learned through a process of staged, incremental learning, during which progressively more complex skills are acquired and subsequently integrated with prior abilities. Accordingly, our learning algorithm is comprised of three phases. In the first phase, a few seed motions that accomplish goals of a skill are acquired. In the second phase, additional motions are collected through active exploration. Finally, the third phase generalizes from observations made in the second phase to yield a dynamics model that is relevant to the goals of a skill.
We apply our learning algorithm to a simple, planar character in a physical simulation and learn a variety of integrated skills such as hopping, flipping, rolling, stopping, getting up and continuous acrobatic maneuvers. Aspects of each skill, such as length, height and speed of the motion can be interactively controlled through a user interface. Furthermore, we show that the algorithm can be used without modification to learn all skills for a whole family of parameterized characters of similar structure. Finally, we demonstrate that our approach also scales to a more complex quadruped character.
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Teo, J. T. H. "Motor learning and neuroplasticity in humans." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2009. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/17592/.
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The central nervous system is plastic, in that the number and strength of synaptic connections changes over time. In the adult the most important driver of such changes is experience, in the form of learning and memory. There are thought to be a number of rules, operating relatively local to each synapse that govern changes in strength and organisation. Some of these such as Hebbian plasticity or plasticity following repeated activation of a connection have been studied in detail in animal preparations. However, recent work with non-invasive methods of transcranial stimulation in human, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, has opened the opportunity to study similar effects in the conscious human brain. In this thesis I use these methods to explore some of the presumed changes in synaptic connectivity in the motor cortex during different forms of motor learning. The experiments only concern learning in the healthy brain; however it seems likely that the same processes will be relevant to neurorehabilitation and disease of the nervous system. This thesis explores the link between neuroplasticity and motor learning in humans using non-invasive brain stimulation, pharmacological agents and psychomotor testing in 6 related studies. 1) Chapter 3 reports initial pharmacological investigations to confirm the idea that some of the long term effects of TMS are likely to involve LTP-like mechanisms. The study shows that NMDA agonism can affect the response to a repetitive form of TMS known as theta burst stimulation (TBS) 2) Following up on the initial evidence for the role of NMDA receptors in the long term effects of TBS, Chapter 4 explores the possible modulatory effects of dopaminergic drugs on TBS. 3) Chapter 5 takes the investigations to normal behaviours by examining how the NMDA dependent plasticity produced by TBS interacts with learning a simple motor task of rapid thumb abduction. The unexpected results force a careful examination of the possible mechanisms of motor learning in this task. 4) Chapter 6 expands on these effects by employing a battery of TMS methods as well as drug agents to examine the role of different intracortical circuits in ballistic motor learning. 5) Chapter 7 studies the plasticity of intracortical circuits involved in transcallosal inhibition. 6) Chapter 8 studies the interaction between synaptic plasticity invoked by TBS and sequence learning. The studies described in the thesis contribute to understanding of how motor learning and neuroplasticity interact, and possible strategies to enhance these phenomena for clinical application.
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Rahman, Shbana. "The cerebellar cortex & motor learning." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.248049.
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Witney, Alice Geraldine. "Predictive motor learning of object manipulation." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.271627.
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Millar, Laurie. "The cerebellar cortex and motor learning." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.415195.
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Atkeson, Christopher Granger. "Roles of knowledge in motor learning." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29195.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Whitaker College of Health Sciences, Technology, and Management, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 1986.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND SCIENCE
Bibliography: leaves 143-154.
by Christopher Granger Atkeson.
Ph.D.
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Maugeri, Antonino. "Learning of motor skill in preteens." Doctoral thesis, Università di Catania, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10761/1623.
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Time distribution of training/practice as an optimizing parameter has been studied and analyzed. The results obtained were designed to clarify a debate that has been running for more than a century: many authors support the idea that concentrating practice over a short time is more successful, while others state the opposite. Tangible, unequivocal results that show the best learning methods would allow us to define training programs that are more effective and efficient.
In order to reach this goal, the selected subjects were initially given a new motor skill to be learned.
Sixty children participated in the study. They ranged in age from seven to ten, 30 boys and 30 girls, all elementary school students in the city of Catania, Italy.
Experimental protocol defined the preteen s learning of an ocular-manual skill, which was completely new to him or her. Moreover, half of the children had to learn this skill using their dominant hand, while the other half with their weaker hand.
Results showed that, as expected, the use of the dominant arm results in a greater number of successes, regardless of age and gender.
Moreover, the probability of success increases with the age of the children, independently of they were using the dominant or the non-dominant arm. The observed improvement is associated to significant changes of some kinematic parameters of the gesture, as duration of performance, time to peak and peak acceleration.
Furthermore, a training session of only 5 days was sufficient to achieve significant improvements in the success probability of a simple but not usual gesture, as the launch of a tennis ball to hit a target, but only when the children were using the dominant hand. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that, at this age, motor learning is already concentrated on the dominant side
However, the improvement observed after 5 days of training was no longer present to a control performed after one week. It can be, therefore, concluded that, in order to learn a new gesture in a stable manner, training must be continued for a greater period of time.
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Patterson, Jae Todd Lee Timothy Donald. "The impact of effortful practice in learning a task of varying degrees of cognitive and motor complexity /." *McMaster only, 2004.
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Zhang, Li, and 張力. "The cerebellar mechanism of secretin in modulating mouse motor coordination and motor learning behaviors." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/207477.
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Motor coordination and motor learning processes are vital for animal survival. Both functions require the participation of cerebellar Purkinje neurons, which are the integrating center as they receive both excitatory and inhibitory inputs from various neurons and send out the sole inhibitory output of cerebellar cortex. Secretin, a classical peptide hormone, has been shown previously as a retrograde factor to up-regulate GABAergic inhibitory transmission on basket-Purkinje cell synapses in rats. In behavioral perspectives, there have been studies reporting changes of motor function, anxiety level, spatial memory and social interactions after application or deprivation of secretin. Based on current knowledge, secretin is hypothesized to modulate mouse motor coordination and motor learning behaviors through its effects on Purkinje neurons.
To test this hypothesis, a Purkinje cell-specific secretin gene knockout moue model (Pur-Sct-/-) has been developed using Cre-Loxp recombination technique. Using immunohistochemical staining and in situ hybridization, secretin expression has been shown to be specifically eliminated in Purkinje neurons. Pur-Sct-/- mice had intact general motor ability and anxiety level in an open field. Neuromuscular strength of Pur-Sct-/-mice was impaired compared to wild type littermates in wire hanging test. Motor coordination ability was compromised as shown by vertical climbing and rotarod tasks. Further tests using repeated training on rotarod suggested impaired motor learning ability. All these behavioral changes have also been observed in secretin-null (Sct-/-) and secretin receptor-null (Sctr-/-) mice, suggesting that normal motor control and motor learning depend on integrity of secretin-secretin receptor axis in cerebellum.
Postnatal neural developmental study revealed later occurrence of two motor reflexes –righting and negative geotaxis –in Pur-Sct-/-juveniles. Motor deficits in rotarod tasks persisted across mice aging from month 2 to month 9 while wire hanging impairments occurred early in Pur-Sct-/-. Secretin thus may also play a role in early postnatal cerebellar development and neural protection in mature cerebellum.
To investigate the underlying mechanism, Purkinje neurons were voltage-clamped for current recording. Secretin potentiated both spontaneous and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC and mIPSC) in wild type Purkinje cells. InPur-Sct-/- and Sctr-/- mice, basal levels of sIPSC and mIPSC were significantly decreased, suggesting a role of endogenous secretin in maintaining cerebellar inhibitory transmission. The exogenous application of secretin restored IPSC in Pur-Sct-/- but not in Sctr-/- mice to comparable wild type levels, indicating the specific binding of Purkinje-derived secretin and secretin receptor underlyingthis inhibitory potentiation.
In summary, secretin released in Purkinje neurons has significant role in maintaining normal motor coordination and motor learning functions. Secretin also participates in the facilitation of inhibitory transmission on interneuron-Purkinje synapses. This inhibitory potentiation is likely to coordinate motor behaviors, although further in vivo studies are required for substantiation. This study has demonstrated the function of secretin in modulating mouse motor coordination and motor learning behaviors, and in Purkinje neuron inhibitory transmission, suggesting its potential usage in drug development against cerebellar-related motor disorders.published_or_final_version
Biological Sciences
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy
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Morey, Sorrentino Ruth S. "A simulation of Internet-enhanced motor learning." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2001. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/nq64828.pdf.
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Dijk, Henk van. "Motor skill learning age and augmented feedback /." Enschede : University of Twente [Host], 2006. http://doc.utwente.nl/55443.
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Floyer, Anna. "Functional subsystems involved in motor skill learning." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.418630.
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Lam, W. K., and 林永佳. "The attentional demands of implicit motor learning." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2008. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B42182207.
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Korenberg, Alexander Tal. "Computational and psychophysical studies of motor learning." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.404971.
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Dyer, John. "Human movement sonification for motor skill learning." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2017. https://pure.qub.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/human-movement-sonification-for-motor-skill-learning(4bda096c-e8ab-4af4-8f35-7445c6b0cb7e).html.
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Transforming human movement into live sound can be used as a method to enhance motor skill learning via the provision of augmented perceptual feedback. A small but growing number of studies hint at the substantial efficacy of this approach, termed 'movement sonification'. However there has been sparse discussion in Psychology about how movement should be mapped onto sound to best facilitate learning. The current thesis draws on contemporary research conducted in Psychology and theoretical debates in other disciplines more directly concerned with sonic interaction - including Auditory Display and Electronic Music-Making - to propose an embodied account of sonification as feedback. The empirical portion of the thesis both informs and tests some of the assumptions of this approach with the use of a custom bimanual coordination paradigm. Four motor skill learning studies were conducted with the use of optical motion-capture. Findings support the general assumption that effective mappings aid learning by making task-intrinsic perceptual information more readily available and meaningful, and that the relationship between task demands and sonic information structure (or, between action and perception) should be complementary. Both the theoretical and empirical treatments of sonification for skill learning in this thesis suggest the value of an approach which addresses learner experience of sonified interaction while grounding discussion in the links between perception and action.
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White, Alan Daniel. "Visual-motor learning in minimally invasive surgery." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2016. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/17321/.
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The purpose of this thesis was to develop an in-depth understanding of motor control in surgery. This was achieved by applying current theories of sensorimotor learning and developing a novel experimental approach. A survey of expert opinion and a review of the existing literature identified several issues related to human performance and MIS. The approach of this thesis combined existing surgical training tools with state-of-the-art technology and adapted rigorous experimental psychology techniques (grounded in the principles of sensorimotor learning) within a controlled laboratory environment. Existing technology was incorporated into surgical scenarios via the Kinematic Assessment Tool - an experimentally validated, powerful and portable system capable of providing accurate and repeatable measures of visual-motor performance. The Kinematic Assessment Tool (KAT) was first established as an appropriate means of assessing visual-motor performance, subsequently the KAT was assessed as valid when assessing MIS performance. Following this, the system was used to investigate whether the principles of ‘structural learning’ could be applied to MIS. The final experiment investigated if there is any benefit of a standardised, repeatable laparoscopic warm-up to MIS performance. These experiments demonstrated that the KAT system combined with other existing technologies, can be used to investigate visual-motor performance. The results suggested that learning the control dynamics of the surgical instruments and variability in training is beneficial when presented with novel but similar tasks. These findings are consistent with structural learning theory. This thesis should inform current thinking on MIS training and performance and the future development of simulators with more emphasis on introducing variability within tasks during training. Further investigation of the role of structural learning in MIS is required.
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Ward, John T. "Worker profile: learning patterns for motor tasks." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37405.
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Kronholm, Carolin, and Caroline Holmgren. "Motorik och lärande/Motor skills and learning." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Lärarutbildningen (LUT), 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-27842.
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Syftet med vår undersökning är att ta reda på hur pedagoger ser på motorik i förhållande till lärande samt ta reda på hur de arbetar kring detta. Vi kommer att utgå ifrån ett pedagogperspektiv då det är deras syn på motorik och lärande vi önskar undersöka. Våra frågeställningar under arbetet kommer att vara: •Hur ser pedagoger på motorik i förhållande till lärande?•På vilket sätt ger pedagogerna eleverna möjlighet till att utveckla sin motorik eller få tid till rörelse i klassrummet? •Hur uppfattar pedagogerna att motorisk träning påverkar lärandet?Vi har genomfört kvalitativa intervjuer med sju pedagoger på en skola i en medelstor stad i Skåne. Fem av pedagogerna valdes ut med hjälp av snöbollsmetoden utifrån kontakt med de två första via mejl. Resultatet av vår undersökning visar att pedagoger ser positivt på motorik i förhållande till lärande. Majoriteten ger inte eleverna någon möjlighet till medveten motorisk träning trots att de uppfattar att detta är något som påverkar lärandet.The purpose of our study is to find out how educators see motor skills in relation to learning and find out how they work with them. Our study will be based on a teachers perspective, since it is their view on motor control and learning we intend to examine.Our questions in this investigation are as follows:• How do educators see motor skills in relation to learning?• In what way do teachers give the students an opportunity to develop their motor skills and find time for movement in the classroom?• How do educators perceive that motor training affects learning?We have utilized qualitative interviews with seven teachers at a school in a medium-sized town in the south of Sweden. The first two teachers were contacted using e-mail, and based on them, the remaining five were selected using the snowball method.The results of our study show that educators stands positive to motor skills in relation to learning. Despite this the majority do not give students any opportunity for conscious motor training in the classroom even though the educators consider that this is something that affects learning.
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Lam, W. K. "The attentional demands of implicit motor learning." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2008. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B42182207.
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RICCI, SERENA. "Does extensive motor learning trigger local sleep?" Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Genova, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11567/1005024.
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After prolonged learning we all have experienced a reduction of alertness, resulting in errors that we would normally not make. Despite this being a common situation in everyday life, the reasons for this phenomenon are unclear. A possible explanation is that the regions of the brain which are involved in the learning, go off-line trying to partially recover. This event is defined as local sleep and it has been detected in animals and sleep-deprived humans performing learning tasks. Local sleep is a sleep-like electrophysiological activity occurring locally, while the rest of the brain is fully awake, and producing performance deterioration. However, since all the studies included both lack of sleep and learning, it is uncertain whether such phenomenon is related to sleep deprivation or if it is the consequence of prolonged learning. Further, local sleep has not been related to electrophysiological changes occurring during the task. This thesis aimed to assess, for the first time in well rested subjects, whether local sleep and performance decline occur because of prolonged learning. Specifically, the goal was to discriminate between sustained practice and learning, as to determine whether learning is required to cause local sleep. Also, a 90-minute nap was evaluated to establish whether sleep is necessary to counterbalance neuronal fatigue and performance decrease. The starting hypothesis was that local sleep is a plasticity-related phenomenon affecting performance and requiring learning to be triggered. Consequently, sleep would be a prerequisite to counterbalance performance and electrophysiological changes. High-Density EEG and behavioral data of 78 healthy young subjects were collected during and after two learning tasks performed for three hours: a visual sequence learning task, and a visuo-motor rotation task, randomly selected. Afterward, subjects were divided in two groups: those who slept for one hour and a half and those who remained awake and quietly rested for the same amount of time before being tested for electrophysiological and behavioral changes. Moreover, to discriminate between the effects of prolonged learning and practice, 11 additional subjects performed a control condition consisting in planar upper limb reaching movements instead of the above-mentioned learning tasks. In detail, the power spectrum of the EEG activity during the task and at rest with eyes opened was divided into five ranges to determine frequency changes of the EEG activity: delta 1 to 4 Hz; theta 4 to 8 Hz; alpha 8 to 13 Hz, beta 13 to 25 Hz, gamma 25 to 55 Hz. Additionally, movement-related beta activity of 35 young subjects was analyzed to find a relationship between task related oscillations and performance indices, as the modulatory activity during practice may reflect plasticity-related phenomena that can describe the occurrence of local sleep. Finally, 13 young subjects were compared to a dataset of 13 older participants who performed planar upper limb reaching movements to determine whether beta oscillations were affected by age. Specifically, beta activity was assessed during reaching movements in different brain regions, in terms of topography, magnitude, and peak frequency. Results demonstrated that sustained learning produced electrophysiological changes both at rest and during the task. In fact, resting state was characterized by a progressive slowing of the EEG activity over areas overlapping with those engaged during the task. Precisely, we detected task-related activity mainly in the high-frequency ranges (gamma and beta right temporo-parietal activity for the visual sequence learning task; alpha and beta activity over a fontal and left parietal areas for the visuo-motor rotation); the same areas were characterized by a progressive increase of the low frequency EEG activity at rest ranging from alpha, beta after one hour of practice, to theta after three one-hour blocks. The control task did not trigger such EEG slowing, as reaching movements without learning did only left an alpha, beta trace in the resting state over a cluster reflecting the motor area contralateral to the movement. Further, continuous learning triggered performance deteriorations only in tests sharing the same neural substrate of the previously performed task. In other words, the visuo-motor learning task only affected performance in a motor test consisting in random reaching movements; conversely, visual sequence learning altered performance on a visual working memory test, but did not influence reaching movements. Also, the control condition did not affect performance in any of the two exercises. Performance decline, learning ability and local sleep were partially renormalized by a 90-minute nap but not by an equivalent period of wake. As such, the global EEG activity, computed as the mean power of all the electrodes, was not affected by either 90 minutes of sleep or quiet wake. However, the regions characterized by low frequency at rest benefited from the sleep period, as the low frequencies content partially decreased after the nap but not after quiet wake. Task related beta activity during motor practice presented similar magnitude and timing patterns in different brain areas, with a progressive increase with practice, in both young and older subjects, despite the older subjects performing slower, less accurate movements. Intriguingly, the motor areas showed a post movement beta synchronization having a peak between 15 and 18 Hz, as opposed to a frontal area that has it between 23 and 29 Hz. Finally, results did not reveal any direct relationship between EEG beta oscillations and performance indices. Altogether, these results indicate that local sleep and performance decrease can be triggered by prolonged learning in well rested subjects; furthermore, some amount of sleep can partially renormalize learning ability, EEG activity and performance. Also, differences in the brainnoscillations during motor activity can express separate processes underlying motor planning, execution and skills acquisition. The present study adds some important knowledge in the field of local sleep; in fact, it suggests that such phenomenon is triggered by sustained learning rather than sleep deprivation, thus being a plasticity-related phenomenon. Finally, the role of sleep on counterbalancing local sleep has been proved, despite additional studies are required to establish whether a full night of sleep rather than a specific amount of time is needed to fully restore learning ability and electrophysiological activity. In conclusion, the present findings are of importance in all the fields where sustained learning is required, such as rehabilitative programs, sport and military trainings, and must be taken into account when plasticity plays a fundamental role in the acquisition of new skills.
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Paredes, Daniel A. "The role of norepinephrine in learning : cerebellar motor learning in rats." [Tampa, Fla] : University of South Florida, 2007. http://purl.fcla.edu/usf/dc/et/SFE0001922.
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Hogg, Theresa M., and University of Lethbridge Faculty of Arts and Science. "Neurophysiological correlates of motor skill learning : reorganization of movement representations within motor cortex." Thesis, Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Arts and Science, 2002, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10133/182.
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This thesis used a rodent model of skilled forelimb training and intracortical microstimulation to examine the relationship between learning and cortical reorganization. This thesis examines how reorganization is related to the specific changes in forelimb movements during learning. It also examines the role that task reptition plays in driving motor cortex reorganization and showed that once the skilled motor task had been acquired it was necessary to repeat the task sufficiently to produce motor cortex reorganiztion. This thesis also examines reorganization following skilled reach training was related to the consolidation of motor skill, finding that animals that learned the skilled reaching task after five days of training also showed cortical reorganization, which persisted for one month. These experiments show that the distribution and subsequent redistribution of movement representations within motor cortex is related to changes in motor performance that occur during motor training.viii, 108 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.
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Benda, Brian J. "Neural correlates of motor learning/memory in primary motor cortex of macaque monkeys." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/9920.
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Zhu, Fan Frank, and 朱凡. "Exploring cortical activity during implicit and explicit processes in motor learning." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2010. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45588892.
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Zhang, Fangyi. "Learning real-world visuo-motor policies from simulation." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2018. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/121471/1/Fangyi%20Zhang%20Thesis.pdf.
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This thesis explores how simulation can be used to create the large amount of data required to teach a robot certain hand-eye coordination skills. It advances the state-of-the-art of deep visuo-motor policy learning by introducing a new modular architecture, a novel reinforcement learning exploration strategy, and adversarial discriminative transfer.
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Wilde, Heather Jo. "Proportional and non-proportional transfer of movement sequences." Diss., Texas A&M University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/3082.
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The ability of spatial transfer to occur in movement sequences is reflected upon in theoretical perspectives, but limited research has been done to verify to what extent spatial characteristics of a sequential learning task occur. Three experiments were designed to determine participants ability to transfer a learned movement sequence to new spatial locations. A 16-element dynamic arm movement sequence was used in all experiments. The task required participants to move a horizontal lever to sequentially projected targets. Experiment 1 included 2 groups. One group practiced a pattern in which targets were located at 20, 40, 60, and 80° from the start position. The other group practiced a pattern with targets at 20, 26.67, 60, and 80°. The results indicated that participants could effectively transfer to new target configurations regardless of whether they required proportional or non-proportional spatial changes to the movement pattern. Experiment 2 assessed the effects of extended practice on proportional and non-proportional spatial transfer. The data indicated that while participants can effectively transfer to both proportional and non-proportional spatial transfer conditions after one day of practice, they are only effective at transferring to proportional transfer conditions after 4 days of practice. The results are discussed in terms of the mechanism by which response sequences become increasingly specific over extended practice in an attempt to optimize movement production. Just as response sequences became more fluent and thus more specific with extended practice in Experiment 2, Experiment 3 tested whether this stage of specificity may occur sooner in an easier task than in a more difficult task. The 2 groups in Experiment 3 included a less difficult sequential pattern practiced over either 1 or 4 days. The results support the existence of practice improvement limitations based upon simplicity versus complexity of the task.
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Downey, Margaret J. "Effects of observer's experience and skill level on learning and performance in motor skill modeling." Thesis, McGill University, 1991. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=70288.
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Expertise effects on response acquisition (learning) and performance reproduction (performance) (Bandura, 1986) in dance observational learning were investigated. Over an acquisition period, forty university students with varied movement backgrounds observed dance demonstrations, arranged still photos to represent the dances, and performed each dance. Learning was assessed via a pictorial-resequencing task. Dance performance accuracy and quality were evaluated via detailed analyses of videotaped performances. Results indicated that dance experts learn more and perform better than novices (p $<$.05) in a modeling situation, and learning and performance scores are positively correlated at a moderate level. Entry-level dance skill is the best present indicator of success in dance observational learning. Elementary instruction can improve beginner dancers' observational learning ability. The findings support Bandura's social cognitive theory of modeling (1986), extend the knowledge base related to the effects of expertise in motor skill acquisition, and have implications for dance and other motor skill educators.
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McCormick, Sheree Ann. "Congruency of eye movement metrics across motor simulation states : implications for motor (re)learning." Thesis, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2014. http://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/321975/.
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This thesis contains a series of studies that report, for the first time, the congruence between physical, imagined and observed movement though a range of eye movement markers as a test of Jeannerod’s Simulation Theory (Jeannerod, 1994, 2001). First, the eye gaze metrics of healthy young individuals across all the action-related processes in a single paradigm is reported. The finding from this study suggested a temporal and spatial similarity between action execution (AE) and action observation (AO), and a spatial similarity between AE and motor imagery (MI). These findings suggest that AO could be used to simulate actions that involve a critical temporal element. Second, the influence of early ageing on gaze metrics was examined. The findings from this study indicated that whilst the profile of metrics for AE showed age-related decline, it was less evident in AO and MI although there was evidence of some age-related decline across all the three processes. Third, the influence of visual perspective on eye movements during movement simulation is reported. The data analysis in this study was novel and allowed, for the first time, eye gaze to be used to quantify MI and highlighted the importance of social gaze in AO and its absence in MI. Taken together, the finding that some eye metrics are preserved in more covert behaviours provides support for the efficacy of (re)learning optimal eye gaze strategies through AO- and MI-supported movement-based interventions for older adults with movement dysfunction. Therefore, in the final study, the development of a fully-integrated AE-AO-MI toolkit is reported. A new, App-based approach to the integration of movement simulation in rehabilitation is described in detail. Twenty years after he first proposed his Simulation Theory of MI the novel findings from this programme of work provide substantial support for the concept. This thesis highlights the advantage of using advanced eye gaze technology as an important marker to inform the on-going debate on the extent of the neural substrate sharedness as the central tenet to Simulation Theory. The findings of the studies will make an important impact on the use of simulation procedures for motor relearning.
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Ben, Amor Heni. "Imitation Learning of Motor Skills for Synthetic Humanoids." Doctoral thesis, Technische Universitaet Bergakademie Freiberg Universitaetsbibliothek "Georgius Agricola", 2010. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:105-qucosa-62877.
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This thesis addresses the question of how to teach dynamic motor skills to synthetic humanoids. A general approach based on imitation learning is presented and evaluated on a number of synthetic humanoids, as well as a number of different motor skills. The approach allows for intuitive and natural specification of motor skills without the need for expert knowledge. Using this approach we show that various important problems in robotics and computer animation can be tackled, including the synthesis of natural grasping, the synthesis of locomotion behavior or the physical interaction between humans and robots.
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Ball, Richard Manuel. "The effects of background music on motor learning." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape16/PQDD_0003/MQ29969.pdf.
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Firouzimehr, Zeinab. "The role of muscle cocontraction in motor learning." Thesis, McGill University, 2011. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=97232.
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In everyday activity we interact with objects and need to learn how to stabilize our limbs and apply appropriate forces. During learning the central nervous system adapts to the dynamics of the limb and the environment by means of formation of an accurate internal model. In the early stages of learning in the presence of novel force fields muscle cocontraction increases. Thoroughman and Shadmehr (1999) have described cocontraction as a wasted contraction. However, Franklin et al. (2003) have shown that the increase in muscle cocontraction has an important role in learning to stabilize the limb and offset the effect of the force field when the perturbing forces cannot be accurately predicted. With practice an internal model is formed which allows the central nervous system to estimate the force to counteract the force field and therefore the muscle cocontraction level declines gradually. It has been shown that the level of muscle cocontraction remains at an asymptote after learning and the amount of cocontraction depends on the amount of required impedance to provide stability (Franklin et al., 2003; Thoroughman and Shadmehr 1999). In this study, the level of muscle cocontraction in the presence of a force field of gradually increasing strength is investigated. Subjects practiced point-to-point arm movements under a training condition where the force field strength increased gradually or under a training condition where the force field was abruptly activated and remained at its maximum strength throughout training, which served as a control. At the end of the training period both groups were performing movements at maximum force field strength. Therefore, we were able to compare the level of muscle cocontraction and performance of two groups at the same high level of force field strength. The results showed that the level of muscle cocontraction in subjects who trained with the gradually increasing force field strength was lower than the group which trained with the abrupt transition to maximum force field strength both during training and subsequently when both groups performed the task at maximum force field strength. Furthermore, based on the applied force recorded during random catch trials both groups had formed an accurate internal model at the end of learning. The observed pattern of cocontraction was consistent with the learning model proposed by Franklin et al. (2008).Dans nos activités de tous les jours, nous interagissons avec des objets, mouvements pour lesquels nous devons apprendre à stabiliser nos membres ainsi qu'à appliquer des forces adéquates. Pendant l'apprentissage de tels mouvements, le système nerveux central s'adapte à la dynamique entre les membres et l'environnement en créant un modèle interne précis. Dans les premiers stades de l'apprentissage moteur, en présence de nouvelles forces externes, une augmentation de la cocontraction musculaire est observée. Thoroughman et Shadmehr (1999) ont décrit la cocontraction musculaire comme étant une contraction gaspillée. Par contre, Franklin et al. (2003) ont démontré que l'augmentation de la cocontraction musculaire joue un rôle important dans l'apprentissage de la stabilisation des membres, tout en déviant les effets des forces externes lorsque ces forces ne peuvent être anticipées de façon précise. Avec la pratique, un modèle interne se forme ce qui permet au système nerveux central d'estimer la force nécessaire pour contrecarrer les forces externes et donc permettre une diminution graduelle de la cocontraction musculaire. Il a été démontré que le niveau de cocontraction musculaire demeure asymptotique lorsque la période d'apprentissage est terminée. À ce moment-là, le niveau de cocontraction dépend de la quantité d'impédance nécessaire pour maintenir une certaine stabilité (Franklin et al. 2003; Thoroughman and Shadmehr 1999).Dans la présente étude, le niveau de cocontraction musculaire a été examiné lors de mouvements exécutés en présence de forces externes augmentant graduellement. Les sujets ont pratiqué des mouvements du bras d'un point à un autre selon une des deux conditions d'entraînement suivantes: 1) la force externe augmentait graduellement pendant tout l'entraînement et 2) la force externe était appliquée abruptement et demeurait à son maximum pendant tout l'entraînement, servant ainsi de condition contrôle. À la fin de la période d'entraînement, les 2 groupes de sujets ont exécuté des mouvements avec des forces externes maximales. De cette façon, nous avons pu comparer le niveau de cocontraction musculaire et la performance des 2 groupes, dans une même condition de force externe élevée. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que le niveau de cocontraction musculaire chez les sujets qui se sont entraînés avec la force externe augmentant graduellement était moins élevé que chez les sujets qui se sont entraînés avec une force augmentant abruptement à un niveau de force maximale et ce, pendant l'entraînement, de même qu'au moment de l'exécution du mouvement avec une force externe maximale. De plus, selon les forces générées par les sujets, enregistrées lors d'essais-pièges, les 2 groupes de sujets ont formé un modèle interne précis à la fin de la période d'apprentissage. Le patron de cocontraction observé était en accord avec le modèle d'apprentissage moteur proposé par Franklin et al. (2008).
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Henderson, Amy 1980. "Motor learning in stroke : imaging training induced plasticity." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=101716.
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Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in Western countries and it is estimated that up to 70% of stroke survivors have a long-lasting disability of the upper limb. The purpose of this study was to examine plasticity at the neuronal level to distinguish between recovery and compensation and how this relates to recovery of arm movement at the behavioural and functional levels in five chronic stroke patients. Brain activation patterns associated with a pointing movement involving the whole arm were identified over two baselines and one post-training intervention evaluation. At each evaluation, a clinical physical and cognitive evaluation, and a recording of the movement kinematics was performed. Analysis was performed on three regions of interest (ROI) bilaterally; primary motor cortices (M1), premotor cortices (PMC) and the primary sensorimotor cortices (S1). A measure of signal intensity, the location of peak activation, and a measure of the contribution of each hemisphere in the ROIs was examined on a case-by-case basis. We found a trend for increased contralesional involvement, changes in signal strength in each ROI and shifts in the peak activation in many directions, which paralleled increases in motor functioning. Our results seem to suggest that contralesional involvement in our ROIs may be sustaining recovery in these patients, and we can confirm that the more the activation in the stroke brain returns to the activation seen in healthy individuals, the better the recovery. Although it is possible that an absolute distinction between recovery and compensation at the neuronal level cannot be made, our results show that recovery at the behavioural and functional levels are accompanied by changes in brain activity. A relationship must be determined if we are to venture into using fMRI as a tool to influence clinical decisions during recovery from stroke.
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Willis, Andrew Richard. "Electrophysiological changes during sensory motor learning and performance." Thesis, University of Bristol, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.246267.
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Shetty, Kunal. "Motor learning induced neuroplasticity in minimally invasive surgery." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/56079.
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Technical skills in surgery have become more complex and challenging to acquire since the introduction of technological aids, particularly in the arena of Minimally Invasive Surgery. Additional challenges posed by reforms to surgical careers and increased public scrutiny, have propelled identification of methods to assess and acquire MIS technical skills. Although validated objective assessments have been developed to assess motor skills requisite for MIS, they poorly understand the development of expertise. Motor skills learning, is indirectly observable, an internal process leading to relative permanent changes in the central nervous system. Advances in functional neuroimaging permit direct interrogation of evolving patterns of brain function associated with motor learning due to the property of neuroplasticity and has been used on surgeons to identify the neural correlates for technical skills acquisition and the impact of new technology. However significant gaps exist in understanding neuroplasticity underlying learning complex bimanual MIS skills. In this thesis the available evidence on applying functional neuroimaging towards assessment and enhancing operative performance in the field of surgery has been synthesized. The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate frontal lobe neuroplasticity associated with learning a complex bimanual MIS skill using functional near-infrared spectroscopy an indirect neuroimaging technique. Laparoscopic suturing and knot-tying a technically challenging bimanual skill is selected to demonstrate learning related reorganisation of cortical behaviour within the frontal lobe by shifts in activation from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) subserving attention to primary and secondary motor centres (premotor cortex, supplementary motor area and primary motor cortex) in which motor sequences are encoded and executed. In the cross-sectional study, participants of varying expertise demonstrate frontal lobe neuroplasticity commensurate with motor learning. The longitudinal study involves tracking evolution in cortical behaviour of novices in response to receipt of eight hours distributed training over a fortnight. Despite novices achieving expert like performance and stabilisation on the technical task, this study demonstrates that novices displayed persistent PFC activity. This study establishes for complex bimanual tasks, that improvements in technical performance do not accompany a reduced reliance in attention to support performance. Finally, least-squares support vector machine is used to classify expertise based on frontal lobe functional connectivity. Findings of this thesis demonstrate the value of interrogating cortical behaviour towards assessing MIS skills development and credentialing.
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Kobak, Dimitry. "Structure learning and generalisation in human motor control." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/39294.
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The human motor system controls a large number of independent degrees of freedom simultaneously, and is capable of learning a seemingly infinite amount of movement skills, vastly surpassing such abilities of any man-made robot. The computational and neuronal mechanisms of human dexterity and adaptation abilities remain elusive. It has been recently suggested that one of the computational brain mechanisms allowing such a rich movement repertoire might be “structure learning” (Braun et al., 2009b). After extensive practice with motor tasks sharing structural similarities (e.g. different dancing movements, or different sword techniques), new tasks of the same type can be learnt faster. According to the structure learning hypothesis, such rapid generalisation of related motor skills relies on learning the dynamic and kinematic relationships shared by this set of skills. As a consequence, motor adaptation becomes constrained, effectively leading to a dimensionality reduction of the learning problem; at the same time, adaptation to tasks lying outside the structure becomes biased towards the structure. We tested these predictions by investigating how previously learnt structures influence subsequent motor adaptation and found that after extensive training with both kinematic or dynamic perturbations, adaptation to unpractised, diagonal, perturbations happened along the previously learnt structure (vertical or horizontal), and resulting adaptation trajectories were curved. We further present several computational models that can account for this behaviour: correlated distribution of motor primitives, changed Bayesian prior or Bayesian network with a hidden variable. These models make different predictions with respect to structure extrapolation; in a series of experiments we did not observe any evidence for structure extrapolation and conclude that the observed effects are probably explained by the changed Bayesian priors. Finally, we present a series of experiments on path tracking, where subjects develop a skill of path tracking in the absence of any external perturbations. Relationship with structure learning is discussed.