Exploring a Motor Learning Technique Based on the Mirror Motor Neuron System - Full Text View

Sponsored by:	National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Information provided by:	National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00872183

Purpose

Background:

Techniques that teach finger movements are commonly used to explore how humans learn to move. Researchers have designed a simple, new method of learning finger movements, which will be explored for the first time in this study. The method is based on how individuals mimic other people's movements.
Previous studies have shown that a brain protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be important in movement and in learning. There are normal variations in the gene for BDNF. As an optional component, this study will also look at whether these gene variations are associated with differences in movement learning.

Objectives:

To compare the new motor learning technique with a classic technique to test its usefulness.
To examine whether genetic variations have an effect on motor learning.

Eligibility:

Healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 50, who are right-handed.

Design:

The study will involve two visits to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
Visit 1: Medical and neurologic examination to determine whether the volunteer is eligible to participate further in the study. This screening visit will take about 1 hour.
Visit 2: Volunteers will perform a motor learning task by interacting with a computer program. In response to images on the computer monitor, volunteers will press buttons on the keyboard as quickly and accurately as possible. The motor learning task will last up to 3 hours.
If a volunteer agrees to genetic testing, researchers will also draw blood for study. Genetic testing is not required to participate in the motor learning parts of the study.

Condition
Healthy

Study Type:	Observational
Study Design:	Prospective
Official Title:	Exploring a Motor Learning Technique Based on the Mirror Motor Neuron System

Further study details as provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):

Estimated Enrollment:	44
Study Start Date:	March 2009
Estimated Primary Completion Date:	June 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Detailed Description:

Objective

Humans develop skilled movements such as using a spoon or dancing a waltz through a process known as motor learning. Harnessing this innate process for its therapeutic potential is an attractive strategy to help patients suffering from diseases of movement disorders, yet we do not yet fully understand the normal phenomenon.

This study will utilize a new paradigm to explore the physiology of motor learning. It will test the validity of a traditional motor learning task that has been modified to invoke the mirror neuron system. Additionally, by taking advantage of the unique opportunity to assess motor learning awareness immediately following the task, it will also explore this behavioral-cognitive relationship. Thus, this work will lay the foundation for further physiologic characterization of a novel motor learning technique and may support the development of future therapies.

Study Population

We will study twenty healthy, right-handed volunteers who are 18 to 50 years old.

Design

Volunteers will participate in a reaction time task. Seated in front of a computer monitor with their right hands on a keyboard, volunteers will respond to visual cues presented on the monitor by pressing the associated, finger-specific keys as quickly and accurately as possible. Each volunteer will be presented only the standard visuospatial or the novel mirror cues, defining the two reaction time task paradigms and experimental groups. In addition to the motor learning task, volunteers will have the option to participate in genetic testing for normal genetic variability that may affect motor learning.

Outcome Measure

The primary outcomes are motor learning and awareness, which will be measured by the key-press reaction time and accuracy, respectively.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:	18 Years to 50 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:	Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	Yes

Criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:
Age 18-50 years
Right-handedness

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Arthritis or other physically limiting disability, amputation, or significant trauma of either hand
Professional musician or stenographer
Persistent neurologic deficit of cognition, movement, or sensation or any history of a central nervous system lesion
Regular use of any neurotropic or psychotropic medication (e.g., narcotic analgesic, anxiolytic, anti-histamine) or any use within twenty-four hours of the motor learning task.
Blindness or visual acuity lower than necessary to distinguish visual stimuli on the display monitor
Impaired decisional capacity or inability to provide informed consent
Previous experience with a serial reaction time task type of study

Contacts and Locations

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00872183

Contacts

Contact: Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office	(800) 411-1222	prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov
Contact: TTY	1-866-411-1010

Locations

United States, Maryland
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike	Recruiting
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

Sponsors and Collaborators

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

More Information

Additional Information:

NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Publications:

Abrahamse EL, Verwey WB. Context dependent learning in the serial RT task. Psychol Res. 2008 Jul;72(4):397-404. Epub 2007 Aug 3.

Ashe J, Lungu OV, Basford AT, Lu X. Cortical control of motor sequences. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2006 Apr;16(2):213-21. Epub 2006 Mar 24. Review.

Bird G, Osman M, Saggerson A, Heyes C. Sequence learning by action, observation and action observation. Br J Psychol. 2005 Aug;96(Pt 3):371-88.

Study ID Numbers:	090098, 09-N-0098
Study First Received:	March 28, 2009
Last Updated:	August 24, 2009
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00872183 History of Changes
Health Authority:	United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):

Motor Learning
Mirror Neurons
Health Volunteer
HV

Study placed in the following topic categories:

Healthy

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 02, 2009