33 Recent data suggest that the Val66Met polymorphism of the BDNF gene can alter cortical 34 plasticity within the motor cortex of carriers, which exhibits abnormally low rates of cortical 35 reorganization following repetitive motor tasks. To verify if long-term retention of a motor skill 36 is also modulated by the presence of the polymorphism, 20 participants (10 Val66Val; 10 37 Val66Met) we...

When learning a new motor sequence, we must execute the correct order of movements while simultaneously optimizing sensorimotor parameters such as trajectory, timing, velocity and force. Neurophysiological studies in animals and humans have identified the major brain regions involved in sequence learning, including the motor cortex (M1), basal ganglia (BG) and cerebellum. Current models link th...

The dopaminergic system is involved in learning and participates in the modulation of cortical excitability (CE). CE has been suggested as a marker of learning and use-dependent plasticity. However, results from separate studies on either motor CE or motor learning challenge this notion, suggesting opposing effects of dopaminergic modulation upon these parameters: while agonists decrease and an...

Researchers have begun to delineate the precise nature and neural correlates of the cognitive processes that contribute to motor skill learning. The authors review recent work from their laboratory designed to further understand the neurocognitive mechanisms of skill acquisition. The authors have demonstrated an important role for spatial working memory in 2 different types of motor skill learn...