Effect of acute working memory stimulation on motor learning

Lilian C. Macedo; Marco T. S. Batista; Viviane L. Gonçalves; Guilherme M. Lage

doi:10.20338/bjmb.v19i1.493

Effect of acute working memory stimulation on motor learning

Authors

Lilian C. Macedo Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) – Departamento de Educação Física, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil - [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4246-2396
Marco T. S. Batista Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) – Departamento de Educação Física, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4392-6431
Viviane L. Gonçalves Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) – Departamento de Educação Física, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1097-4005
Guilherme M. Lage Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) – Departamento de Educação Física, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8296-3676

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20338/bjmb.v19i1.493

Keywords:

N-back task, Skill acquisiton, Radom practice, Golf putting task, Complex motor skill

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Working memory (WM) plays an important role in motor learning, particularly at the beginning of the process.

AIM: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of acute working memory stimulation on the learning of a complex motor skill.

METHODS: Twenty-four college students (12 males, 12 females), aged 18 to 40 years, practiced the golf putting motor task. Twelve participants in the experimental group performed the N-back cognitive task (level two-back) for five minutes as acute WM stimulation before the golf putting motor task, while the control group remained seated looking at a blank screen for the same duration.

RESULTS: The results found that learning occurred in both groups; however, acute WM stimulation did not enhance this learning process in the stimulated group. Unexpectedly, WM stimulation caused an initial impairment in performance for the stimulated group during the first acquisition block.

INTERPRETATION: This suggests that acute WM stimulation, as applied in this study, did not facilitate learning and may have temporarily hindered initial performance in a complex motor skill.

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Published

2025-12-03

How to Cite

Macedo, L. C., Batista, M. T. S., Gonçalves, V. L., & Lage, G. M. (2025). Effect of acute working memory stimulation on motor learning. Brazilian Journal of Motor Behavior, 19(1), e493. https://doi.org/10.20338/bjmb.v19i1.493

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Issue

Vol. 19 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Special issue on Factors that affect the motor learning process

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