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JST Press Release

May 5, 2014
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8666
URL http://www.jst.go.jp/EN/index.html

Emergence of reproducible spatiotemporal activity during motor learning

The neural activity in the motor cortex generates body movements. How the relationship between motor cortex activity and body movements is shaped by learning is not well understood. To address this question, we developed a paradigm in which we can image the activity of hundreds of individual neurons throughout motor learning over two weeks. Using this approach, we found that same movements are accompanied by very different activity patterns before and after learning and these activity changes coincided with changes in motor cortex neuronal connections. The detailed understanding of motor learning mechanisms could be helpful in treating motor and/or memory disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researcher Information

JST PRESTO
Research Area: “Development and Function of Neural Networks”
Research Theme:“Learning-related plasticity of cortical microcircuits”

Journal Information

Andrew J. Peters, Simon X. Chen1, and Takaki Komiyama.“Emergence of reproducible spatiotemporal activity during motor learning”
Nature, Published online 4 May 2014
doi: 10.1038/nature13235

Contact

[About Research]
Takaki Komiyama, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Section of Neurobiology and Dept. of Neurosciences, UCSD
E-mail:
URL: http://labs.biology.ucsd.edu/komiyama/

[About Program]
Koji Matsuo, Takafumi Kawaguchi, and Toshiyuki Shingo
Life Innovation Group, Department of Innovation Research, JST
E-mail:

Japanese


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