Neural correlates of individual differences in motor learning under reinforcement contexts.

Overview

Authors: Hayato Otake¹, Naoki Senta¹, Junichi Ushiba², Mitsuaki Takemi^1,3

ORCID iDs: Mitsuaki Takemi

Graduate School of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan

Institutions: Keio University (Japan); Hiroshima University (Japan)

Journal: iScience, volume 29, issue 4, article 115336

Dates: received 14 August 2025; accepted 9 March 2026; published online 11 March 2026

Type: Research article · Language: English

License: CC BY

Identifiers: DOI 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115336 · PMID 41940343 · PMCID PMC13049676 · OpenAlex W7135056226

Open access: gold, a free copy (OpenAlex)

Status: code on request

Methods: Spectral & time-frequency, Preprocessing, Statistics, Smoothing, state filtering, decompositions, Machine learning, Evoked potentials, Connectivity

Keywords: Natural sciences, Biological sciences, Neuroscience, Clinical neuroscience

Topic: Motor Control and Adaptation (Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience), according to OpenAlex

Funding: JST Moonshot R&D (#JPMJMS2012)

Citations: not cited yet (Europe PMC); 47 references in the paper

Abstract

Rewards and punishments shape motor learning, yet individuals vary in their adaptation speed and skill retention. Previous studies have linked these processes to two electroencephalographic signatures: feedback-related negativity (FRN) and sensorimotor event-related desynchronization (ERD). However, their roles in individual learning differences remain unclear. We recorded electroencephalography while 64 adults performed a visuomotor rotation task where gains or losses scaled with movement error. Using Lasso regression, we examined whether these neural markers accounted for individual variability in learning and retention. Results demonstrated that the interaction between sensorimotor alpha-ERD during movement preparation in late adaptation and feedback condition explained retention. Stronger alpha-ERD predicted better retention only in the reward condition, whereas neither ERD nor FRN explained adaptation rates. These findings indicate that late-phase alpha-ERD reflects neural mechanisms supporting motor memory stabilization, which becomes behaviorally relevant specifically under positive reinforcement. Thus, pairing reward with interventions enhancing sensorimotor cortical excitability may facilitate skill maintenance.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

Code

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The paper's code and data availability statement is in the Data section.

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Data

Datasets cited

osf:4jbu5, at OSF; found in “Data and code availability”

Data and code availability

• Behavioral data and subject-level derived EEG data required to reproduce all figures and statistical analyses reported in this study are publicly available in the OSF repository (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4JBU5). Raw EEG data cannot be made publicly available due to restrictions imposed by the original ethics approval and informed consent obtained from participants. Anonymized raw EEG data are available from the lead author upon reasonable request. • All analysis codes used in this study are publicly available in the OSF repository (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4JBU5). • No additional resources were generated in this study.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

Versions

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Version 1, 30 September 2026: the first record

Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, issue, pages, dates, 4 authors, 4 keywords, 1 funder, 47 references.

Cite

This paper

Otake, H., Senta, N., Ushiba, J., & Takemi, M. (2026). Neural correlates of individual differences in motor learning under reinforcement contexts. iScience, 29(4), 115336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.115336

BibTeX

@article{otake2026neural, author = {Otake, Hayato and Senta, Naoki and Ushiba, Junichi and Takemi, Mitsuaki}, title = {{Neural correlates of individual differences in motor learning under reinforcement contexts}}, journal = {iScience}, year = {2026}, month = mar, volume = {29}, number = {4}, pages = {115336}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {2589-0042}, doi = {10.1016/j.isci.2026.115336}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.115336}, pmid = {41940343}, pmcid = {PMC13049676} }

RIS

TY - JOUR AU - Otake, Hayato AU - Senta, Naoki AU - Ushiba, Junichi AU - Takemi, Mitsuaki TI - Neural correlates of individual differences in motor learning under reinforcement contexts T2 - iScience J2 - iScience PY - 2026 DA - 2026/03/11 VL - 29 IS - 4 SP - 115336 SN - 2589-0042 PB - Elsevier DO - 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115336 UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.115336 LA - en ER -

CSL-JSON

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