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Year:: 2023
Contributor:: Zhussubali, Anel (creator); O'Bryan, Sean (creator); Song, Joo-Hyun (creator); Joo-Hyun Song (advisor); Brown University. Karen T. Romer Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (research program)
Genre:: posters
Subject:: Cognitive neuroscience; Cognition; Short-term memory; Learning; Implicit learning
Extent:: 1 poster
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26300/qwya-3p57

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Abstract:: Prior research in sensorimotor learning has established a relationship between spatial working memory capacity (WMc) and visuomotor adaptation (VMA), which is the ability of individuals to adjust their sensory input-output mappings to an unexpected change in the environment. VMA typically involves both explicit and implicit learning processes: explicit learning is intentional learning that involves top-down control and strategies, such as working memory, while implicit learning occurs without a conscious awareness of learning and relies on motor error feedback mechanisms. The relationship between spatial WMc and VMA prompted us to design a dual (simultaneous) task, where a visuomotor rotation task is introduced in the delay phase of a spatial working memory task. Participants were asked to memorize a display of dots, and following a 45-degree rotated reach movement towards the target, make a memory response. We hypothesized that visuomotor rotation would draw upon similar explicit cognitive resources to the WMc task, and may compel participants to rely more on implicit learning for the visuomotor transformation. Our results supported this hypothesis. We found that reach error continued to decrease throughout early and late learning trials, instead of decreasing in early learning and then plateauing in late learning as was observed in our previous study. We also observed a greater reach aftereffect associated with the WMc dual task – participants had difficulty re-adapting to no rotation in the washout phase of the reach task, which more strongly suggests the presence of implicit learning. Our results suggest that spatial working memory capacity may demand cognitive control resources that interfere with explicit elements in visuomotor adaptation, leading to higher involvement of implicit learning and improved performance in visuomotor adaptation tasks. Therefore, participants can adapt to high cognitive demand interference by increasing their dependence on the implicit learning system.

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Zhussubali, Anel, O'Bryan, Sean, and Song, Joo-Hyun, "Dual-task interference enhances implicit learning in visuomotor adaptation" (2023). Summer Research Symposium. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://doi.org/10.26300/qwya-3p57

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Summer Research Symposium

Each year, Brown University showcases the research of its undergraduates at the Summer Research Symposium. More than half of the student-researchers are UTRA recipients, while others receive funding from a variety of Brown-administered and national programs and fellowships and go …
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Dual-task interference enhances implicit learning in visuomotor adaptation