Positive Reinforcement is Beneficial to Motor Learning🎯

Positive Reinforcement is Beneficial to Motor Learning🎯

When learning a novel movement, a beginner doesn’t know exactly how to coordinate that movement

Positive reinforcement for that learner can change the structure of the brain 🧠 and enhance performance in that movement

Neuroimaging data has shown changes in prefrontal (decision making) & basal ganglia (movement modulation) brain areas related to positive feedback on successful trials (Sidarta et al., 2016). Connections within these brain structures are formed during trials w/ positive feedback. With positive reinforcement, subjects had less variability amongst trials and greater success. Without positive reinforcement, there is greater trial-to-trial variability and less success. This is most likely due to the fact that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) fires during stimulus-reward situations and is designed to find value in performed actions and choose the one that’s more rewarding

Positive reinforcement changed the functional connectivity amongst the circuitry of the vmPFC to structures within the basal ganglia for modulating movement during motor learning. This allows the learner to use positive reinforcement to guide repeated successful movement

Overall, positive reinforcement & working memory strengthens functional connectivity of all the neural structures involved in movement. Positive reinforcement should be a staple in helping young kids learn new movements