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Updated: Mar 23, 2026
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The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task
Published on: May 3, 2018
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The sequential encoding of competing action goals involves dynamic restructuring of motor plans in working memory
Jason P Gallivan1, Natasha A R Bowman2, Craig S Chapman3
1Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; gallivan@queensu.ca.
Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 1, 2016
Summary
The brain flexibly updates action plans for new targets, even when plans are already formed. This shows motor plans are adaptable to changing environments.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Decision Making
Background:
- Existing theories suggest simultaneous action options lead to preparing multiple plans.
- Real-world environments present dynamic, changing action options with uncertainty.
- The brain's ability to adapt motor planning in such dynamic scenarios is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the brain forms and updates motor plans when action options appear sequentially.
- To determine if previously formed action plans can be modified by new information.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a target-directed reaching task.
- Analyzed neural and behavioral data during sequential target presentation.
Main Results:
- The brain specifies competing motor plans for each sequentially presented target.
- Recently formed action plans are revisited and updated to incorporate new plans.
- Motor plans are demonstrated to be labile and flexible.
Conclusions:
- The brain generates adaptable motor plans for sequentially presented action options.
- These plans can be dynamically restructured to accommodate evolving environmental demands.
- This supports a flexible model of motor planning in dynamic environments.
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