Bimanual Motor Skill Learning in Acute Stroke

The subacute phase of stroke provides a window into how a lesion perturbs sensorimotor functions prior to reorganisation driven by plasticity and neurorehabilitation. The recovery from motor impairment has been extensively studied, but it is currently unknown whether motor skill learning (MSkL) is enhanced or impaired during acute stroke, especially bimanual motor skill learning (bim-MSkL), which likely requires more motor-attentional-cognitive resources than unimanual MSkL. The goals of this project are: to determine the neural substrates critical to achieve proximal and distal bimanual motor skill learning (bim-MSkL) by specifying whether (sub)acute stroke to different brain areas (cortical and subcortical) induce specific deficits in bimanual and/or distal bim-MSkL, which behavioral components are involved in bim-MSkL, and whether damage to the motor, sensory and inter-hemispheric pathways specifically impairs proximal and/or distal bim-MSkL.

ACUTE STROKE PATIENTS: Inclusion Criteria: * acute stroke (\< 21 days) * aged 18-90 years * with a demonstrated stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic) lesion on brain imaging Exclusion Criteria: * " classical " contre-indication to MRI (non-MR-compatible pacemaker, pregnancy, non-MR-compatible implanted devices, claustrophobia, etc ...) * difficulty in understanding or executing commands * drug/alcohol abuse * severe aphasia / cognitive deficits interfering with study * inability to complete the tasks (i.e. full paralysis of the arm) * multiple strokes / dementia / psychiatric condition HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS: Inclusion Criteria: • 18-90 years Exclusion Criteria: * medical history with a previous stroke / relevant neurological deficit * drug/alcohol abuse * psychiatric condition/ dementia