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Non-Invasive Modulation and Robotic Mapping of Motor Cortex in the Developing Brain
Published on: July 1, 2019
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Developmental changes in motor cortex activity as infants develop functional motor skills.
Ryota Nishiyori1,2, Silvia Bisconti2, Sean K Meehan1
1School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Developmental Psychobiology
|April 21, 2016
Summary
Infant motor skill development involves changes in brain activity. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) revealed shifts from diffuse to focused primary motor cortex (M1) activity as infants gain experience.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infant motor skill acquisition is well-documented behaviorally.
- The underlying neural mechanisms of functional motor control development remain unclear.
- Developmental systems framework posits experience shapes neural patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural basis of emerging functional motor control in infants.
- To examine changes in primary motor cortex (M1) hemodynamic activity during skill acquisition.
- To test the hypothesis of a shift from diffuse to focal M1 activity with increased goal-directed experience.
Main Methods:
- Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured M1 hemodynamic activity.
- 22 infants (6 and 12 months old) participated.
- Participants performed reaching and elicited stepping tasks.
Main Results:
- Reaching: Younger infants showed diffuse M1 activity, which became focused by 12 months.
- Stepping: Younger infants had minimal M1 activity; by 12 months, activity became diffuse.
- Experience-dependent changes in M1 activity patterns were observed.
Conclusions:
- Infant motor skill acquisition is associated with emerging and refining M1 activity.
- Neural activity patterns shift from diffuse to focal with goal-directed experience.
- This study provides initial documentation of cortical activity during early functional skill development.
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