Inter Subject correlation of Brain activity during visuo-motor sequence learning

Abstract

Brain imaging using functional MRI allows us to understand brain function while participants are engaged in meaningful tasks. Traditionally the experimental paradigms have been limited to repeated presentation of stimuli to participants followed by a model-based analysis of the data. The Inter Subject Correlation (ISC) analysis allows a model-free analysis while participants are presented with naturalistic stimuli such as watching a movie. We extend the ISC approach to a learning paradigm in which participants are repeatedly performing a motor sequence in response to visual stimuli. We qualitatively compare the correlation results across learning sessions. The preliminary result we observe is shift of correlation activity in cerebellum across sessions. A model-based analysis identifying task related activity compared to baseline is also reported.