Role of beta-band resting-state functional connectivity as a predictor of motor learning ability

It has been suggested that resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) between the primary motor area (M1) region of the brain and other brain regions may be a predictor of motor learning, although this suggestion is still controversial. In the work reported here, we investigated the relationship between M1 seed-based rs-FC and motor learning. Fifty-three healthy volunteers undertook random button-press and sequential motor learning tasks. Five-minute resting-state data acquisition was performed between the two tasks. Oscillatory neural activities during the random task and the rest period were measured using magnetoencephalography. M1 seed-based rs-FC was calculated for the alpha and beta bands using amplitude envelope correlation, in which the seed location was defined as an M1 position with peak event-related desynchronization value. The relationship between rs-FC and the performance of motor learning was examined using whole brain correlation analysis. The results showed that beta-band resting-state cross-network connectivity between the sensorimotor network and the core network, particularly the theory of mind network, affected the performance of subsequent motor learning tasks. Good learners could be distinguished from poor learners by the strength of rs-FC between the M1 and the left superior temporal gyrus, a part of the theory of mind network. These results suggest that cross-network connectivity between the sensorimotor network and the theory of mind network can be used as a predictor of motor learning performance.