Neural Mechanisms of the Contextual Interference Effect: A fNIRs and EEG Study

NCT01134978 | Completed Phase 1

• 1 other identifier: 16758
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The overall goal of this study is to gain insight into the neural mechanisms of learning multiple tasks. By examination of cognitive and behavioral output during the performance and learning of several computer maze tasks, and through a detailed examination of the neural activity obtained from functional near-infrared (fNIR) and electroencephalography (EEG), it may be possible to gain insight into the impact of the amount of practice and the organization of practice has on learning fine motor skills. This insight may provide direction as to how to better develop instructional and rehabilitation protocols in addition to clinical interventions to facilitate recovery of function, relearning and transfer of cognitive and fine motor skills based upon neural responses to physical practice.

Conditions

Healthy Individuals; Learning

Keywords

repeated measures design; random assignment to groups

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• metabolic measures of neural activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

  Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIR) uses specific wavelets of light, that are introduced at the scalp to measure changes in the relative ratios of deoxygenated hemoglobin and oxygenated hemoglobin in the capillary beds during brain activity.

  outcomes measured 72 - 96 hours post-training

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Behavioral measures

  measured 72-96 hours post training

Study Arms (1)

Practice Schedules

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects are randomly assigned to either a blocked or random practice schedule when learning three 3-D computer mazes. A blocked practice schedule is created when the tasks to be learned are presented in a predictable order, while a random practice schedule has tasks presented in a nonsequential, unpredictable order. Neural activity and behavioral measures will differ for the two practice schedules. For memory and transfer, it is predicted that random practice will be better than blocked practice.

Behavioral: Practice Order

Interventions

Practice Order BEHAVIORAL

Blocked order - predictable Random order - unpredictable

Also known as: High contextual interference - random practice schedule, Low contextual interference - blocked practice schedule

Practice Schedules

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• to 55 years of age
• vision correctable to 20/20
• right-handed
• English is first language or learned English before age of 5 years

You may not qualify if:

• years or younger and 56 years or older
• pregnant
• have latex or tape adhesives allergies
• self-exclude if:
• had a history of seizures, head injury or neurological dysfunction
• history or diagnosis of depression, schizophrenia or social phobia
• previous admission to alcohol/drug treatment program or diagnosis of alcohol/drug abuse
• take medications know to affect neurological function.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Drexel University: lead
• Pennsylvania Department of Health: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Cognitive Motor Movement Neuroscience Lab (CoMMoNS) - rm 3612 NCB, Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102, United States

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Ayaz H, Shewokis PA, Curtin A, Izzetoglu M, Izzetoglu K, Onaral B. Using MazeSuite and functional near infrared spectroscopy to study learning in spatial navigation. J Vis Exp. 2011 Oct 8;(56):3443. doi: 10.3791/3443.

  PMID: 22005455 RESULT

• Shewokis PA, Ayaz H, Izzetoglu M, Bunce S, Gentili RJ, Sela I, Izzetoglu K, Onaral B. Brain in the Loop: Assessing Learning using fNIR in cognitive and motor tasks. D.D. Schmorrow and C.M. Fidopiastis (Eds.).Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, 6780: 240-249. 2011. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.

  RESULT

• Shewokis PA, Ayaz H, Izzetoglu K, Izzetoglu M, Bunce SC, Schultheis MT, Pourrezaei K. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity during the learning of computer tasks in a contextual interference paradigm using fNIRs: a case series. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology 30: S130. 2008.

  RESULT

• Shewokis PA, Ayaz H, Izzetoglu M, Getchell N, Izzetoglu K. the acquisition and learning of computer tasks in a contextual interference paradigm: Using functional near infrared spectroscopy to examine prefrontal cortex activity. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology. 32: S127-S128. 2010.

  RESULT

Study Officials

• Patricia A Shewokis, PhD

  Drexel University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 27, 2010
• First Posted: June 2, 2010
• Study Start: November 1, 2007
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2010
• Study Completion: June 1, 2011
• Last Updated: November 7, 2011

Record last verified: 2011-05

Locations

US (1)