Date created: | Last Updated:

Category: Project

Description: During visuomotor adaptation several distinct systems are recruited: cerebellar sensory-prediction error learning, success-based reinforcement, and explicit strategy-use. Although much work has focused on the relationship between cerebellar learning and strategy-use, there is little previous research regarding how reinforcement and strategy-use interact. To address this, participants first learnt a 20° visuomotor rotation. After reaching asymptotic performance, binary, hit-or-miss feedback (BF) was introduced either with visual feedback remaining or removed, the latter condition promoting reinforcement. Subsequently, retention was assessed using no-feedback trials, with half of the participants in each group being instructed to stop using any strategy, resulting in a 2x2 design. Although BF led to an increase in retention of the visuomotor rotation, instructing participants to remove their strategy nullified this effect, suggesting strategy-use is critical to BF-based reinforcement. Consequently, in a second experiment, we effectively prevented any strategy-use during BF-based asymptotic performance, either by constraining participants to a short preparation time or by introducing the displacement gradually to reduce awareness and thus development of any strategy. This strongly impaired both groups’ performance under BF, suggesting that reinforcement requires both the development and expression of a strategy. These results emphasise a pivotal role of strategy-use during reinforcement-based motor learning.