How brain motor areas learn and keep skilled movements
Motor Skill and the Cortical Motor Areas
This project looks at how parts of the brain that control movement store and keep learned movement skills, aiming to help people with movement problems after stroke or brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237432 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The researchers train monkeys to perform practiced sequences of reaching movements that are either guided by memory or by visual cues, then inject drugs into specific motor areas to block protein synthesis or DNA methylation. They give these injections at different times during learning and after skills are well practiced to see when and where the brain stores movement memories. By comparing memory-guided sequences to visually guided reaches, they aim to isolate the brain changes that support long-term motor skill. The goal is to map the time course and brain areas needed to form and maintain highly practiced motor behaviors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with persistent arm or hand movement problems after stroke or cortical brain injury are the most likely groups to benefit from insights produced by this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose movement problems are caused mainly by peripheral nerve damage or non-cortical conditions may not receive direct benefit from these cortical-focused findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal where and when motor memories form and guide new rehabilitation approaches or treatments to restore movement after stroke or brain injury.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have shown that blocking protein synthesis or DNA methylation in motor cortex can disrupt learned movements, but translating those findings into human therapies remains largely untested and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Obayashi (Ohbayashi), Machiko — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Obayashi (Ohbayashi), Machiko
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.