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Domain-specific working memory, but not dopamine-related genetic variability, shapes reward-based motor learning

View ORCID ProfilePeter Holland, View ORCID ProfileOlivier Codol, Elizabeth Oxley, Madison Taylor, Elizabeth Hamshere, Shadiq Joseph, Laura Huffer, View ORCID ProfileJoseph M. Galea
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/524900
Peter Holland
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Olivier Codol
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Elizabeth Oxley
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Madison Taylor
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Elizabeth Hamshere
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Shadiq Joseph
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Laura Huffer
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Joseph M. Galea
1School of Psychology and Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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Abstract

The addition of rewarding feedback to motor learning tasks has been shown to increase the retention of learning, spurring interest in the possible utility for rehabilitation. However, laboratory-based motor tasks employing rewarding feedback have repeatedly been shown to lead to great inter-individual variability in performance. Understanding the causes of such variability is vital for maximising the potential benefits of reward-based motor learning. Thus, using a large cohort (n=241) we examined whether spatial (SWM), verbal (VWM) and mental rotation (RWM) working memory capacity and dopamine-related genetic profiles were associated with performance in two reward-based motor tasks. The first task assessed participant’s ability to follow a hidden and slowly shifting reward region based on hit/miss (binary) feedback. The second task investigated participant’s capacity to preserve performance with binary feedback after adapting to the rotation with full visual feedback. Our results demonstrate that higher SWM is associated with greater success and a greater capacity to reproduce a successful motor action, measured as change in reach angle following reward. Whereas higher RWM was predictive of an increased propensity to express an explicit strategy when required to make large adjustments in reach angle. Therefore, both SWM and RWM were reliable predictors of success during reward-based motor learning. Change in reach direction following failure was also a strong predictor of success rate, although we observed no consistent relationship with any type of working memory. Surprisingly, no dopamine-related genotypes predicted performance. Therefore, working memory capacity plays a pivotal role in determining individual ability in reward-based motor learning.

Significance statement Reward-based motor learning tasks have repeatedly been shown to lead to idiosyncratic behaviours that cause varying degrees of task success. Yet, the factors determining an individual’s capacity to use reward-based feedback are unclear. Here, we assessed a wide range of possible candidate predictors, and demonstrate that domain-specific working memory plays an essential role in determining individual capacity to use reward-based feedback. Surprisingly, genetic variations in dopamine availability were not found to play a role. This is in stark contrast with seminal work in the reinforcement and decision-making literature, which show strong and replicated effects of the same dopaminergic genes in decision-making. Therefore, our results provide novel insights into reward-based motor learning, highlighting a key role for domain-specific working memory capacity.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted March 13, 2019.
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Domain-specific working memory, but not dopamine-related genetic variability, shapes reward-based motor learning
Peter Holland, Olivier Codol, Elizabeth Oxley, Madison Taylor, Elizabeth Hamshere, Shadiq Joseph, Laura Huffer, Joseph M. Galea
bioRxiv 524900; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/524900
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Domain-specific working memory, but not dopamine-related genetic variability, shapes reward-based motor learning
Peter Holland, Olivier Codol, Elizabeth Oxley, Madison Taylor, Elizabeth Hamshere, Shadiq Joseph, Laura Huffer, Joseph M. Galea
bioRxiv 524900; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/524900

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