Unlocking the Brain's Secret to Motor Learning: The Role of the Dorsal Premotor Cortex

In a groundbreaking study by the University of Tsukuba, researchers have unveiled a novel function of the dorsal premotor cortex, which oversees a 'meta-learning' process in human motor skills. Traditionally seen as limited to movement planning, this part of the brain also regulates retention and forgetting of motor memories, a discovery made possible through computational modeling and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). **Meta-learning**, a concept seen in AI systems, regulates motor learning properties like memory updates and forgetting through reward-based reinforcement learning. To understand the neural underpinnings of meta-learning in humans, the study compared the prefrontal cortex and higher motor cortex functions. While the prefrontal cortex is associated with decisions, the dorsal premotor cortex, crucial for motor planning, directly influences memory retention. TMS experiments showed that stimulating the dorsal premotor cortex impeded meta-learning related to memory forgetting, yet left motor learning itself unaffected. This suggests a pivotal role for the dorsal premotor cortex in memory retention based on task requirements, potentially paving the way for advanced motor skill training technologies. Supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI and JSPS Fellowships, this research offers promising insights into enhancing motor skill acquisition, especially in sports contexts.