Motor Memory: Revealing Conditioned Action Tendencies Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation article review

Motor Memory: Revealing Conditioned Action Tendencies Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation article review

Introduction

In the article ‘Motor Memory: Revealing Conditioned Action Tendencies Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation’ by Dominic M. D. Tran, Justin A. Harris, Irina M. Harris, and Evan J. Livesey, the underlining subject is the motor memory its role and how it works based on the transcranial magnetic stimulus condition action analysis. The authors of the article examine the theory of the condition reflex action as a factor of motor memory. It outlines the role of the motor system of the brain in the conditional action of the human body using the transcranial magnetic stimulus (Livesey et al., 2019). The author examines how the action tendencies which are elicited by the salient stimuli such as appetites rewards or objects that support behaviors benefit the behavioral performance via a fasted or speeded RTs in response role and improving the detection accuracy in the international capture tasks.  The critical hypothesis being tested includes; “will merely presenting a trained cue in the absence of any response requirements prime the motor system, in the form of increased CSE, compared with presentations of an untrained cue?”. All were aimed at developing a better understanding of the subject topic. The reports give a summary of a detailed analysis of the article.

Method

The study used an independent group experimental design.  In a better understanding of the relationship between the critical variable under review, the researchers used the transcranial magnetic stimulations in investigating the neutrals signatures of action tendencies in the presence of the initially trained cues of response. The study participants were presented with continuous latter during the study and instructed to respond fast to the two target letters through the use of the different response keys. The participants were expected to count the numbers or time of the frequencies, and each trial was visually inspected in counting the total number of times that the letters which were designated for appeared. Following the phase of training, the target letter was rooted in the new task, which was the test phase. The authors, at this point, applied the transcranial magnetic stimulation to the motor cortex and measured motor evoked potential as an index of the corticospinal excitability or the CSE.  The control experiment was the individual used in the study but did not have prior training or the knowledge of the response cues. The critical experimental technique used in the study was the natural experiment using the various groups of participants.

Results

From the study, the result did reveal that the CSE could be potentiated by the former response cue trained within just one experimental session, even when the participants were instructed not to inform their response at the test phase of the experiment. The research also revealed that the attention to the prior trained cues of responses was required in eliciting the primed modulations of the CSE, and the successful control, of the activities, ware accompanied with a suppression of the CSE (Livesey et al., 2019).  From the finding of the study, they suggested that a well-trained cue of response can come to primes a conditioned actioned and offer an essential model for the practical understanding of how the implementation of the cognitive control can work to override an actions automaticity. Together, these findings suggest that controlled motor readiness to target TMS cues is an essential factor in determining how motor priming effects are expressed in the nondominant hemisphere. The significant difference between the experimental and the control group was that the CSE for the control group did not show a significant response to the primes of the conditioned action based on the transcranial magnetic stimulation. There is no significant correlation between these variables considered for the study.

Discussion

CSE is often regulated or potentiated by the former response cue that has been trained. This can be done in just one experimental session and can even take occur when a person has been instructed to withhold a response at the time of the test phase. The findings suggest that well-trained response cues can come to prime a conditioned action tendency and provide a model for understanding how the implementation of cognitive control can override action automaticity. Critically, attention to the previously trained response cue was required to elicit the primed modulation in CSE, and successful control of this activity was accompanied by CSE suppression. It is also clear that motor activity can be conditioned through associative cue–response learning. it suggests that well-trained response cues may come to elicit conditioned action tendencies, providing a mechanism for explaining existing behavioral priming effects. Typically, Automatic cognitive and motor processes are elicited and become engaged in a variety of new task demands. These results offer insights into how motor priming may lead to behavioral errors through conditioned motor activation (Livesey et al., 2019). This original hypothesis “will merely present a trained cue in the absence of any response requirements prime the motor system” was confirmed. The new information perfectly fits the previous findings on the topic of research.

Evaluation

The experiments followed a perfect experimental design. During the test, critical procedures of a reasonable investigation were conducted with crucial ethical consideration, and the element of the participant’s confidentiality correctly put into practice. Essential precautions and measures for active research were undertaken. The experiments were well controlled, with clear boundaries between the experimental participants and the control experiment for the research outlined. This was controlled in the apparent difference which existed between the two groups, the empirical study, and the control study. There exist no alternative explanation for the results as the results are well informed and have a perfect backing from the findings of this study. However, there exists a potential follow up for the study. There is a need to make up a follow up on where the Suppression of the CSE last for longer and on whether the attention of the previously trained cues of response lasts for a longer period on the individual. It will give a clear understanding of which salient motivational stumble is responsible for eliciting the action tendencies. Besides, this would help in informing future researches that relate to the same topic.

References

Tran, D.M.D., Harris, J.A., Harris, I.M., & Livesey, E.J. (2019). Motor memory: Revealing conditioned action tendencies using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 31(9)