Neural changes associated to procedural learning and automatization process in Developmental Coordination Disorder...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Procedural learning is theorized to underlie overlaps in neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Cortico-cerebellar and cortico-striatal loops are key neural circuits for procedural learning.
• Alterations in these loops may explain comorbidity between Developmental Dyslexia (DD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cerebral changes during sequence learning and automatization in children with DD, DCD, or both.
• To explore the neural mechanisms of procedural learning in these neurodevelopmental conditions.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
• 48 children aged 8-12 participated, with diagnoses of DD, DCD, or comorbid DD+DCD.
• Brain activity was assessed during procedural tasks at early learning and post-training (2 weeks) stages.

Main Results:

• All participant groups achieved similar task automaticity.
• Distinct brain processes were recruited by each group to reach the same performance level.
• fMRI results suggested that neural correlates for procedural learning in DD and comorbid groups were similar, but distinct in the DCD group, not fully supporting existing models.

Conclusions:

• Procedural learning recruitment differs across neurodevelopmental disorders.
• The findings offer insights into the neural basis of procedural learning in DD and DCD.
• Understanding these distinct neural mechanisms is crucial for explaining comorbidity in neurodevelopmental disorders.