The neural basis of motor-skill learning

Recent work indicates that motor-skill learning is supported by four proces ses: a strategic process that selects new goals of what to change in the en vironment, a perceptual-motor integration process that adjusts to new relat ionships between environmental stimuli and the appropriate motor response, a sequencing process that learns sequences of motor acts, and a dynamic pro cess that learns new patterns of muscle activations. These four processes c an operate in one of two modes: an unconscious mode, in which one is aware only of the goal of the movement, or a conscious mode, in which one conscio usly controls detailed aspects of the movement. This article provides an ov erview of these four processes and two modes and describes their neural bas es.