Neurophysiological and Functional Mechanisms of Motor Control and Learning

Noninvasive stimulation of the central nervous system, including transcranial magnetic
stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has been increasingly
used in the investigation of cortical plasticity. The purpose of our study is to understand
mechanistically—at the neurophysiological and systems levels—how the brain learns new motor
skills. We propose to study the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of motor skill
learning in healthy subjects. At the behavioral level, we will use movement kinematics to
quantify and characterize movement, which allow us to infer functional strategies used by the
brain to reduce movement errors. At a neurophysiological level, we will use TMS to document
changes in cortical circuitry, which will allow us to infer neuroplastic changes possibly
subserving these strategies. At a systems level, we will enhance motor system excitability
using tDCS, which will enable us to infer the contribution of the stimulated area to the
motor system's ability to learn new skills.