Commonality of neuronal coherence for motor skill acquisition and interlimb transfer

This study explores the neural underpinnings of motor skill learning and its transfer across limbs. In a randomized controlled trial, 48 right-handed individuals underwent training on either simple or complex motor tasks using their left or right hand. After completing 10 blocks of training, we assessed skill acquisition and transfer, with a 64-channel EEG capturing brain activity. Results from 47 participants indicated that task complexity and trained hand (dominant or non-dominant) significantly influenced motor skill acquisition and transfer. Notably, complex tasks enhanced alpha and theta coherence in motor and sensorimotor areas, suggesting shared neural mechanisms for skill acquisition and interlimb transfer in complex tasks. These insights shed new light on the neural correlates of acquiring and transferring motor skills, emphasizing the importance of task complexity and trained hand in these processes.