caa a22 4500 445352132 CHVBK 20180317142847.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110801xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00221-011-2768-y doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00221-011-2768-y Learning a stick-balancing task involves task-specific coupling between posture and hand displacements [Elektronische Daten] [Tyler Cluff, Jason Boulet, Ramesh Balasubramaniam] Theories of motor learning argue that the acquisition of novel motor skills requires a task-specific organization of sensory and motor subsystems. We examined task-specific coupling between motor subsystems as subjects learned a novel stick-balancing task. We focused on learning-induced changes in finger movements and body sway and investigated the effect of practice on their coupling. Eight subjects practiced balancing a cylindrical wooden stick for 30min a day during a 20day learning period. Finger movements and center of pressure trajectories were recorded in every fifth practice session (4 in total) using a ten camera VICON motion capture system interfaced with two force platforms. Motor learning was quantified using average balancing trial lengths, which increased with practice and confirmed that subjects learned the task. Nonlinear time series and phase space reconstruction methods were subsequently used to investigate changes in the spatiotemporal properties of finger movements, body sway and their progressive coupling. Systematic increases in subsystem coupling were observed despite reduced autocorrelation and differences in the temporal properties of center of pressure and finger trajectories. The average duration of these coupled trajectories increased systematically across the learning period. In short, the abrupt transition between coupled and decoupled subsystem dynamics suggested that stick balancing is regulated by a hierarchical control mechanism that switches from collective to independent control of the finger and center of pressure. In addition to traditional measures of motor performance, dynamical analyses revealed changes in motor subsystem organization that occurred when subjects learned a novel stick-balancing task. Springer-Verlag, 2011 Dynamics nationallicence Motor learning nationallicence Inverted pendulum nationallicence Centre of pressure nationallicence Dynamic coupling nationallicence Supra-postural task nationallicence Coordination nationallicence Cluff Tyler Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 2K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada aut Boulet Jason Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 2K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada aut Balasubramaniam Ramesh Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 2K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada aut Experimental Brain Research Springer-Verlag 213/1(2011-08-01), 15-25 0014-4819 213:1<15 2011 213 221 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-011-2768-y text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-011-2768-y text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Cluff Tyler Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 2K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Boulet Jason Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 2K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Balasubramaniam Ramesh Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory, McMaster Institute for Neuroscience Discovery and Study (MiNDS), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, L8S 2K1, Hamilton, ON, Canada aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Experimental Brain Research Springer-Verlag 213/1(2011-08-01), 15-25 0014-4819 213:1<15 2011 213 221 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer