Cortical changes of hemodynamic signals during motor skill learning: a functional NIRS study

Among all the skill learning categories, motor skill learning is most widely studied to explore the neural mechanisms. Current evidences have shown that during skill learning period, the dynamic changes of either the blood oxygenation level-dependent activity or cerebral blood flow or oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) will occur in brain areas in order to support the behaviors such as synergy, sequencing and deftness. In this study, we aim to investigate the dynamic activities and neural mechanisms underlying during motor skill learning. We assessed serial changes including HbO, deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR) and total hemoglobin (HbT) of brain during a motor sequence learning task in one right-handed, healthy subject using a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system. fNIRS has some advantages in reducing the body movement and physiology, low cost, easy and portability to use compared to other non-invasive measurement techniques. The results in our study showed hemoglobin changes in the channels covering the primary motor cortex (M1), premotor cortex (PMC), supplementary motor area (SMA) and prefrontal cortex (PFC).