Newswise — Motor learning abilities enable us to navigate our surroundings: they assist us in self-instructing the art of walking, mastering the technique of grasping a beverage, and acquiring the skill of running. However, the capacity to learn motor tasks can diminish due to age or illness. Researchers exploring the effects of oxygen supplementation on motor learning have discovered a hopeful remedy that may aid patients recovering lost abilities following neurological injuries.
Dr. Marc Dalecki, the senior author of the study in Frontiers in Neuroscience and currently affiliated with the German University of Health and Sports in Berlin, stated that an uncomplicated and readily applicable intervention involving pure oxygen can profoundly enhance the human motor learning mechanisms.
Repurposing a frontline treatment
A substantial amount of oxygen is vital for optimal brain functioning. In environments with limited oxygen supply, cognitive abilities tend to decline, whereas in oxygen-rich settings, cognitive function tends to recover. The delivery of 100% oxygen is already employed to aid in the preservation of brain function for patients with neurological injuries. Motor learning, in particular, relies heavily on oxygen-dependent information processing and memory functions. Since humans learn through trial and error, the ability to retain and integrate information from previous attempts is crucial for efficient and successful motor learning. Therefore, the question arises: could the supplementation of oxygen during the learning of a motor task facilitate faster and more effective learning, offering hope for neurorehabilitation patients?
Dalecki, who spearheaded the experimental research at the School of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University, expressed that he had harbored this idea for nearly ten years and made a personal commitment to explore it once he had his own research laboratory. He further stated that he found the ideal candidate in Dr. Zheng Wang, a dedicated physiotherapist with a clinical background and personal experience working with stroke patients, to conduct the investigation alongside him.
Hand-eye coordination
Dalecki and Wang assembled a group of 40 participants for their study. Out of these, 20 individuals were assigned to receive 100% oxygen at normobaric pressure, while the remaining 20 received medical air (21% oxygen) via a nasal cannula during the "adaptation" or learning phase of a specific task. For the study, the researchers opted for a straightforward visuomotor task conducted on a digital tablet using a stylus. The task aimed to assess how rapidly the participants could integrate information from their eyes and hands, a crucial aspect of motor learning. Once the participants had acquired the task, the alignment between the cursor and the stylus was deliberately modified to evaluate their ability to adapt to inconsistency. Subsequently, the alignment was restored for a final session to assess their adaptability to the realignment.
Wang, the first author of the study and currently affiliated with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, reported, "The administration of oxygen resulted in significantly accelerated learning, with an improvement of approximately 30% in a standard visuomotor adaptation task. Additionally, we found evidence that these enhancements were retained even after the conclusion of the oxygen treatment, indicating successful consolidation of the learned skills."
Oxygen improved learning by 30%
The researchers observed that the participants who received oxygen exhibited accelerated learning and superior performance compared to the other group. These improvements persisted even during later sessions of the task when oxygen supplementation was not provided. Notably, the participants in the oxygen group demonstrated smoother and more precise pen movements. When the alignment of the cursor was intentionally modified to challenge them, they adapted more rapidly. Furthermore, during the realignment of the stylus, they made larger errors, indicating a more thorough integration of the previous alignment compared to the non-oxygen group.
Dalecki and Wang have intentions to further explore the enduring effects of oxygen supplementation on learning and extend their investigation to other motor learning tasks. It is conceivable that the specific brain functions associated with this particular task derive notable benefits from elevated ambient oxygen levels, contributing to the observed performance advantages. Additionally, they aspire to apply the oxygen treatment to elderly individuals and those who have suffered injuries, with the hope that it will assist them in reacquiring motor skills that may have been compromised.
Dalecki expressed their future plan to explore whether this treatment can enhance motor recovery processes in individuals who have experienced brain trauma. Given that the treatment yielded positive results in the young and healthy brain, they anticipate that the effects may be even more significant in individuals with neurological impairments, whose brains are more vulnerable. This line of research aims to uncover the potential of oxygen supplementation in aiding motor recovery in those with brain injuries.
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