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Available expert:

Jason Gallivan, Associate Professor of Psychology and Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University

The breakthrough:

New research from Queen’s University, published in , challenges traditional views on motor learning by showing that the Default Mode Network (DMN) – commonly linked to daydreaming and internal thoughts – is essential for transferring learned motor skills from one hand to the other. This discovery opens exciting possibilities for novel rehabilitation approaches targeting higher-order brain networks.

The research:

The study used functional MRI and a visuomotor adaptation task to show that when people transfer a skill learned with one hand to the other, the DMN reactivates a ‘blueprint’ of the learned skill, using the same brain activity patterns as the initial learning experience, rather than in sensorimotor regions of the brain. These findings challenge conventional beliefs about motor learning and have important implications for rehabilitation therapies in stroke survivors and individuals with neurological conditions.

Why this matters:

Understanding how the brain transfers motor skills beyond just muscle control offers fresh insights into recovery after brain injury and stroke. Rehabilitation focused on the DMN could revolutionize patient care and improve outcomes. Additionally, the surprising role of the “daydreaming” brain network in learning reflects a fascinating new view of our brain’s complexity that will engage a broad public audience.

Contact:

Andrew Carroll
Media Relations Officer, Queen’s University
andrew.carroll@queensu.ca