Repeated practice of a Go/NoGo visuomotor task induces neuroplastic change in the human posterior parietal cortex: an MEG study

Abstract

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is strongly related to task performance by evaluating sensory cues and visually guided movements. Sensorimotor processing is improved by task repetition as indicated by reduced response time. We investigated practice-induced changes in PPC visuomotor processing during a Go/NoGo task in humans using 306-channel magnetoencephalography. Eleven healthy adult males were instructed to extend the right index finger when presented with the Go stimulus (a red circle), but not to react to the NoGo stimulus (a green circle or a red square). Magnetic fields over the visual, posterior parietal, and sensorimotor cortices were measured before and after 3 days of task practice. The first peak of the visual-evoked field (VEF) occurred at approximately 80 ms after presentation of either the Go or NoGo stimulus, while a PPC response, with latency to a peak of 175.8 ± 26.7 ms, occurred only after the Go stimulus. No significant change in the first peak of VEF was measured after 3 days of task practice, but there was a significant reduction in the latency to peak PPC activity (160.1 ± 27.6 ms) and in the time from peak PPC activity to electromyogram onset. In all participants, practice resulted in a significant reduction in reaction time. These results demonstrate that practicing a sensorimotor task induces neuroplastic changes in PPC that accelerate sensorimotor processing and reduce motor response times.

The difference in hemodynamic responses between dominant and non-dominant hands during muscle contraction and relaxation: An fNIRS study

“…It is known that the PPC is related to spatial sense, information navigation and integration, and a sensorimotor interface for visually-guided movements (see reviews, [30, 31]). Some studies also reported that the PPC is critical for sensorimotor tasks, and that it may function in transforming visual information into motor plans [32, 33]. In order to perform our consecutive motor tasks precisely, visually-guided movements with force control are needed, which would be associated with one of the important roles in neural activity of the PPC.…”

Brain-imaging during an isometric leg extension task at graded intensities

“…This assumption is based on previous observations (Hanakawa et al, 1999; Sugawara et al, 2013). Higher activation of the contralateral hemisphere is probably caused by the nearness to the somatotopic organized S1.…”

Time Reproduction and Numerosity Interaction in the Parietal Cortex: Some Missing Links

“…In strict connection with this argument is the close relationship between the representation of numerosity and hand/fingers in the parietal cortex, as showed by the common parietal activation for finger movements (Sugawara et al, 2013) and numerical cognition (Dormal et al, 2008). Moreover, previous works have extensively shown that, in both forced (Dehaene et al, 1990) and free-response (Daar and Pratt, 2008; Vicario, 2012) paradigms, perceiving numbers affects the execution of fingers action.…”

“…Previous studies have shown neural activity in the parietal cortex for particular visuomotor actions involving right hand/fingers representation such as grasping (Baumann et al, 2009), and the go/no go task (Sugawara et al, 2013). Interestingly, this parietal activation occurred after the Go stimulus, which can be considered the equivalent of the stimulus disappearance in the time reproduction task, of Hayashi et al (2013).…”