Attentional demands reflect learning-induced alterations of bimanual coordination dynamics

This study aimed to investigate the effects of practice on bimanual coordination dynamics and attentional demands. Participants were asked to perform a dual-task associating a cyclic antiphase bimanual pattern and a discrete reaction time task. A pretest determined each individual critical transition frequency. In the training session, participants practised 120 trials. They were instructed to maintain the antiphase coordination pattern at the critical transition frequency. The training session was interrupted and followed by an intermediate test (after 60 trials) and a post-test (30 min after 120 trials), respectively. A retention test was performed 7 days after the end of the training session. Results showed that: (i) the number of transitions decreased as a consequence of practice; and (ii), subjects were able to maintain the antiphase pattern at a higher frequency than in the pretest. Analysis of the trade-off between relative phase variability and reaction time showed that participants were able to maintain a higher level of stability at the same (intermediate and post-test) or a lower attentional cost (retention test). These findings show that phase transition dynamics and pattern stability can be significantly modified as a result of practice. Changes in the trade-off between pattern stability and cost with learning confirm that the attentional cost incurred by the central nervous system to maintain pattern stability decreased with practice. In line with recent neurobiological studies, the present study provides new insights regarding relationships between brain processes, attentional demands and coordinated behaviour in learning bimanual patterns.