Learning a skill takes time and practice. For instance, motor skills, such as riding a bike or swinging a bat, require an integrated system of neural and motor communication. In order to transform a motor skill into an instinctive trait, a person needs to consistently practice the activity. An obvious indication of this success would be the decreased reaction time of the activity. However, studies show that there are neural networks showing the progress of a learned skill.
In “Neural correlates of skill acquisition: decreased cortical activity during a serial interception sequence learning task”, Gobel and researchers gathered neural data by assigning a repetitive task to participants. By tracking the neuroimaging data via fMRI testing, they were able to track brain activity in correspondence with improved skill acquisition. This skill, or learned task, was to incite this understanding between neural and motor communication. From their study’s results, Gobel and researchers were able to show when a skill has been learned on a neurological level. The decrease in bilateral cortical network activity was this proof. This bilateral cortical network included premotor, parietal, and extrastriate occipital cortices. In correspondence with this result, Gobel explains: “As learning progresses, dopaminergic corticostriatal loops mediate corticocortical plasticity, resulting in facilaited cortical processing as skill becomes automatic.” From these findings, Gobel and researchers emphasized the necessity of repeated practice and time to automate a skill.
Since this necessity of practice and time is needed to acquire a skill, we can gain this array of skill sets. However, how do we know if we are perfecting a skill? In a 2018 study, researchers used brain scans to assess who is better skilled in a profession. By using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, they were able to measure the surgical motor skill levels between skilled surgeons and novice surgeons. According to the results, there was an increased level of activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain for novice surgeons compared to the skilled surgeons. This area of the brain is responsible for complex motor actions. In reference to Gobel’s findings, this makes sense. For skilled surgeons, their motor skill levels have been repeated by practice and time. The lower activity for them indicates that this learned skill has become automatic.
Another interesting finding from this research showed a spiked activity in the motor cortex for skilled surgeons. By definition, the motor cortex is responsible for “planning, control, and execution of voluntary actions.” Since brain activity levels are focused in this area for skilled surgeons, then results show that their perfected skill only needs this type of neural support. In comparison with the novice surgeons, their activity levels are being focused between the prefrontal and motor cortex, because they are still learning the motor skill. All in all, this study’s findings further confirms Gobel’s research in learned skills as well as show a difference between perfected levels of a learned skill.
As suggested by researchers, these findings “may be expanded to robustly identify and predict surgical candidates that may achieve faster learning curves for learning complex surgical skills, and by extension, achieve surgical skill mastery with a significantly faster rate than other surgical trainees.” Aside from advancing this focus within the surgical field, these methodologies can show other efficiencies in professions such as sports, medicine, and labor.
Cited Works:
- Dailymail.com, C. M. (2018, October 03). Brain scans could reveal who is more skilled at their job. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6237165/Brain-scans- reveal-skilled-job.html
- Gobel, E. W., Parrish, T. B., & Reber, P. J. (2011, October 15). Neural correlates of skill acquisition: Decreased cortical activity during a serial interception sequence learning task. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21771663
- Motor cortex. (2018, October 14). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_cortex
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