• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

Purpose: Implicit motor learning is the capacity to acquire skill through physical practice without conscious awareness of what elements of performance improved. This study investigated whether subacute stroke patients can implicitly learn a perceptual-motor task. Methods: We recruited 12 patients with subacute stroke and 12 age-matched controls. All participants performed a perceptual-motor task that involved pressing a button corresponding with colored circles (blue, green, yellow, red) on a computer screen. The task consists of 7 blocks composed of 10 repetitions for a repeating 12-element sequence (total 120 responses). Results: Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in acquisition performance. Reaction times deceased in both groups at similar rate within the sequential block trials (2-5 blocks), and reaction times increased at a similar rate when the task paradigm was transferred from the sequential block trial to the random block trial (5-6-7 blocks). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that patients with sub-actue stroke can implicitly learn a perceptual motor skill. Although explicit instructions should be used to focus the learner's attention rather than provide information about the task, the application of implicit motor learning strategies in the rehabilitation setting may be beneficial.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

Motor skill learning can be acquired implicitly without consciousness of what is being learned. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of implicit motor learning in young and elderly people using a perceptual-motor task. Forty normal young and elderly subjects participated. A modified version of the Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) using six blocks of twelve perceptual motor sequences was administered. The paradigm consisted of the first random sequence block followed by the four patterned blocks and another random block. In each block, the go signal consisted of an asterisk displayed in the one of the four parallel arrayed boxes in the middle of the screen. Subjects were instructed to push the corresponding response buttons as quickly as possible. Young subjects demonstrated shorter reaction times during the consecutive patterned blocks reflecting appropriate learning accomplished. Elderly subjects were able to learn a perceptual-motor task with implicit knowledge, but the performance was lower than that of the young persons. These results indicated that implicit sequence learning is still preserved in elderly adults, but the rate of learning is slower.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.24-32
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• 2006

Theoretical framework of motor learning is used to enhance perceptual motor skill in physical therapy intervention, which can be subdivided into two main types-explicit and implicit. The purpose of this study was to examine whether stroke patients with unilateral brain damage learn implicitly a motor skill using the arm ipsilateral to the damaged hemisphere. Speculation then followed as to the formation of therapeutic plans and instructions provided to patients with stroke. 20 patients with stroke and 20 normal participants were recruited. All the subjects practiced serial reaction time tasks for 30 minutes a day and retention tests on the following day. The tasks and tests involved pressing the corresponding buttons to 4 colored circles presented on a computer screen as quickly and accurately as possible. Patients with stroke responded more slowly than controls. However, both groups showed decreased reaction time in the experimental and retention periods. Also, there was no significant difference between both groups regarding explicit knowledge of consecutive order. Therefore, patients with stoke had the ability to learn implicitly a perceptual motor skill. Prescriptive instruction using implicit and explicit feedback may be beneficial for motor skill learning in physical therapy intervention for patients with brain damage.