Performance feedback assists practice driven plasticity

Abstract

Motor skills are generally acquired by means of practice. This procedure comprised of acquiring particular task requirements by overruling intrinsic tendencies. The objectives of the present study were; to induce plasticity through bimanual finger tapping task; and to determine the influence of presence or absence of performance feedback on training. Behavioural data from 16 healthy subjects was recorded. They were randomly divided into two equal groups. First group performed bimanual finger tapping task according to 2∶1 mode with feedback (TF). Second group performed bimanual finger tapping task according to 2∶1 mode without feedback (TNF). All subjects performing Tapping task either with or without feedback improved their performance at the end of practice. However, TF performed better than TNF, F (1,14) = 22.378, p<0.01. The results illustrate that practice of 2∶1 task with feedback leads to augmented motor experience reflecting better practice driven plasticity.