Interference Effect of Prior Explicit Information on Motor Sequence Learning in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patients
- Author:
Nahid Zahiri
;
Iraj Abollahi
;
Amir Masoud Arab
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
motor learning, motor task, neurological disease, serial reaction time task, multiple sclerosis
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
2017;24(1):69-80
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most widespread disabling neurological
condition in young adults around the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
impact of explicit information (EI) on motor-sequence learning in MS patients.
Methods: Thirty patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), age: 29.5 (SD = 5.6)
years and 30 healthy gender-, age-, and education-matched control group participants, age: 28.8
(SD = 6.0) years, were recruited for this study. The participants in the healthy group were then
randomly assigned into an EI (n = 15) group and a no-EI (n = 15) group. Similarly, the participants
in the control group were then randomly assigned into EI (n = 15) and no-EI (n = 15) groups. The
participants performed a serial reaction time (SRT) task and reaction times. A retention test was
performed after 48 hours.
Results: All participants reduced their reaction times across acquisition (MS group:
46.4 (SD = 3.3) minutes, P < 0.001, and healthy group: 39.4 (SD = 3.3) minutes, P < 0.001). The
findings for the within-participants effect of repeated measures of time were significant (F(5.06,
283.7) = 71.33. P < 0.001). These results indicate that the interaction between group and time was
significant (F(5.06, 283.7) = 6.44. P < 0.001), which indicated that the reaction time in both groups
was significantly changed between the MS and healthy groups across times (B1 to B10). The main
effect of the group (MS and healthy) (F(1, 56) = 22.78. P < 0.001) and also the main effect of no-EI vs
EI (F(1, 56) = 4.71. P < 0.001) were significant.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that that RRMS patients are capable of learning
new skills, but the provision of EI prior to physical practice is deleterious to implicit learning.
It is sufficient to educate MS patients on the aim and general content of the training and only to
provide feedback at the end of the rehabilitative session.
- Full text:P020170313574588045752.pdf
