Motor-learning-related changes in piano players and non-musicians revealedby functional magnetic-resonance signals

In this study, we investigated blood-flow-related magnetic-resonance (MR) s ignal changes and the time course underlying short-term motor learning of t he dominant right hand in ten piano players (PPs) and 23 non-musicians (NMs ), using a complex finger-tapping task. The activation patterns were analyz ed for selected regions of interest (ROIs) within the two examined groups a nd were related to the subjects' performance. A functional learning profile , based on the regional blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal cha nges, was assessed in both groups. All subjects achieved significant increa ses in tapping frequency during the training session of 35 min in the scann er. PPs, however, performed significantly better than NMs and showed increa sing activation in the contralateral primary motor cortex throughout motor learning in the scanner. At the same time, involvement of secondary motor a reas, such as bilateral supplementary motor area, premotor, and cerebellar areas, diminished relative to the NMs throughout the training session. Exte nded activation of primary and secondary motor areas in the initial trainin g stage (7-14 min) and rapid attenuation were the main functional patterns underlying short-term learning in the NM group; attenuation was particularl y marked in the primary motor cortices as compared with the PPs. When tappi ng of the rehearsed sequence was performed with the left hand, transfer eff ects of motor learning were evident in both groups. Involvement of all rele vant motor components was smaller than after initial training with the righ t hand. Ipsilateral premotor and primary motor contributions, however, show ed slight increases of activation, indicating that dominant cortices influe nce complex sequence learning of the non-dominant hand. In summary, the inv olvement of primary and secondary motor cortices in motor learning is depen dent on experience. Interhemispheric transfer effects are present.