Functional Role of Cerebellar Gamma Frequency in Motor Sequences Learning: a tACS Study

Abstract

Although the role of the cerebellum in motor sequences learning is widely established, the specific function of its gamma oscillatory activity still remains unclear. In the present study, gamma (50 Hz)—or delta (1 Hz)—transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) was applied to the right cerebellar cortex while participants performed an implicit serial reaction time task (SRTT) with their right hand. The task required the execution of motor sequences simultaneously with the presentation of a series of visual stimuli. The same sequence was repeated across multiple task blocks (from blocks 2 to 5 and from blocks 7 to 8), whereas in other blocks, new/pseudorandom sequences were reproduced (blocks 1 and 6). Task performance was examined before and during tACS. To test possible after-effects of cerebellar tACS on the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1), corticospinal excitability was assessed by examining the amplitude of motor potentials (MEP) evoked by single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Compared with delta stimulation, gamma-tACS applied during the SRTT impaired participants’ performance in blocks where the same motor sequence was repeated but not in blocks where the new pseudorandom sequences were presented. Noteworthy, the later assessed corticospinal excitability was not affected. These results suggest that cerebellar gamma oscillations mediate the implicit acquisition of motor sequences but do not affect task execution itself. Overall, this study provides evidence of a specific role of cerebellar gamma oscillatory activity in implicit motor learning.