Clarification of brain mechanism in motor learning using near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate analysis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21500
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06424 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kansai University of Health Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Bizen Hiroki 関西医療大学, 保健医療学部, 助教 (50828770)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 運動学習 / NIRS / リハビリテーション / 作業療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify changes in cerebral blood flow dynamics and brain networks during the process of a motor learning task, furthermore the changes in regions that serve as hubs of the brain network before and after motor learning.
Consequently, brain activation of the prefrontal cortex, lowered as motor learning progressed. By contrast, some prefrontal areas reactivated when motor learning plateaued. Besides brain network efficiency was higher as motor learning progressed. Conversely, brain network efficiency lowered when motor learning plateaued. In addition the region with the highest betweeness centrality in the early and late motor learning was the frontal pole, suggesting that the frontal pole plays an important role in motor learning.

Free Research Field

作業療法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究結果から、運動が上達した後も脳機能は変化し続けることを示唆している。そのため、運動が上達した後も、より運動が熟達するための変化が起き始めていると考え、リハビリテーションにおいて、介入期間を検討する指標として用いることができると考える。
また、運動学習において、前頭極が重要な役割を果たすことが示唆された。そのため、前頭極に着目したリハビリテーションを実施していくことが重要でる。