Individual Optimal Attentional Strategy in Motor Learning Tasks Characterized by Steady-State Somatosensory and
Takeshi Sakurada1, Masataka Yoshida2, Kiyoshi Nagai1
1Department of Robotics, College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|January 21, 2022
Summary
Individuals’ optimal attentional strategies for motor tasks are linked to sensory processing abilities. Early sensory cortex responses predict whether internal focus or external focus strategies are more effective for motor learning.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- External focus (EF) on movement outcomes generally enhances motor performance compared to internal focus (IF) on body movements.
- However, individual differences exist, with EF not being universally effective, suggesting underlying neural mechanisms.
- Previous research implicated frontal and parietal areas in optimal attentional strategies, but the role of sensory cortices remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sensory processing ability in early sensory cortices reflects an individual's optimal attentional strategy for motor tasks.
- To explore the relationship between brain responses in the somatosensory and visual cortices and individual differences in attentional strategy effectiveness.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-six participants performed a motor learning task under IF and EF conditions, categorized into IF-dominant and EF-dominant groups based on after-effects.
- Steady-state somatosensory evoked potentials (SSSEP) and steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) were recorded from primary sensory cortices.
- Participants directed attention to vibrotactile or visual stimuli during electrophysiological recordings.
Main Results:
- The IF-dominant group showed a greater increase in SSSEP response when attending to vibrotactile stimuli compared to the EF-dominant group.
- The EF-dominant group exhibited a larger SSVEP increase when attending to visual stimuli than the IF-dominant group.
- A positive correlation was found between IF dominance and SSSEP attention modulation, suggesting sensory processing differences.
Conclusions:
- Early sensory cortices play a critical role in characterizing individual optimal attentional strategies during motor tasks.
- Sensory processing abilities, particularly the control of sensory input priority, may underlie these individual differences.
- Tailoring attentional strategies based on individual cognitive traits and sensory processing can improve motor task adaptability.
Keywords:
focus of attentionindividual differencesmotor learningsensory cortexsteady-state somatosensory evoked potentialssteady-state visual evoked potentials
