Abstract
How are we able to learn new behaviors without disrupting previously learned ones? To understand how the brain achieves this, we used a brain-computer interface (BCI) learning paradigm, which enables us to detect the presence of a memory of one behavior while performing another. We found that learning to use a new BCI map altered the neural activity that monkeys produced when they returned to using a familiar BCI map, in a way that was specific to the learning experience. That is, learning left a “memory trace.” This memory trace co-existed with proficient performance under the familiar map, primarily by altering dimensions of neural activity that did not impact behavior. Such a memory trace could provide the neural underpinning for the joint learning of multiple motor behaviors without interference.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
