Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Many stroke patients experience difficulty with performing dual-tasks. A promising intervention to target this issue is implicit motor learning, as it should enhance patients' automaticity of movement. Yet, although it is often thought that implicit motor learning is preserved post-stroke, evid...

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Main Authors: E Kal, M Winters, J van der Kamp, H Houdijk, E Groet, C van Bennekom, E Scherder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166376
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author E Kal
M Winters
J van der Kamp
H Houdijk
E Groet
C van Bennekom
E Scherder
author_facet E Kal
M Winters
J van der Kamp
H Houdijk
E Groet
C van Bennekom
E Scherder
author_sort E Kal
collection DOAJ
description Many stroke patients experience difficulty with performing dual-tasks. A promising intervention to target this issue is implicit motor learning, as it should enhance patients' automaticity of movement. Yet, although it is often thought that implicit motor learning is preserved post-stroke, evidence for this claim has not been systematically analysed yet. Therefore, we systematically reviewed whether implicit motor learning is preserved post-stroke, and whether patients benefit more from implicit than from explicit motor learning. We comprehensively searched conventional (MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase, PEDro, PsycINFO) and grey literature databases (BIOSIS, Web of Science, OpenGrey, British Library, trial registries) for relevant reports. Two independent reviewers screened reports, extracted data, and performed a risk of bias assessment. Overall, we included 20 out of the 2177 identified reports that allow for a succinct evaluation of implicit motor learning. Of these, only 1 study investigated learning on a relatively complex, whole-body (balance board) task. All 19 other studies concerned variants of the serial-reaction time paradigm, with most of these focusing on learning with the unaffected hand (N = 13) rather than the affected hand or both hands (both: N = 4). Four of the 20 studies compared explicit and implicit motor learning post-stroke. Meta-analyses suggest that patients with stroke can learn implicitly with their unaffected side (mean difference (MD) = 69 ms, 95% CI[45.1, 92.9], p < .00001), but not with their affected side (standardized MD = -.11, 95% CI[-.45, .25], p = .56). Finally, implicit motor learning seemed equally effective as explicit motor learning post-stroke (SMD = -.54, 95% CI[-1.37, .29], p = .20). However, overall, the high risk of bias, small samples, and limited clinical relevance of most studies make it impossible to draw reliable conclusions regarding the effect of implicit motor learning strategies post-stroke. High quality studies with larger samples are warranted to test implicit motor learning in clinically relevant contexts.
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spelling doaj-art-75a75f2d12e748e7baa7bd8149a72e862025-08-20T02:38:30ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-011112e016637610.1371/journal.pone.0166376Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.E KalM WintersJ van der KampH HoudijkE GroetC van BennekomE ScherderMany stroke patients experience difficulty with performing dual-tasks. A promising intervention to target this issue is implicit motor learning, as it should enhance patients' automaticity of movement. Yet, although it is often thought that implicit motor learning is preserved post-stroke, evidence for this claim has not been systematically analysed yet. Therefore, we systematically reviewed whether implicit motor learning is preserved post-stroke, and whether patients benefit more from implicit than from explicit motor learning. We comprehensively searched conventional (MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase, PEDro, PsycINFO) and grey literature databases (BIOSIS, Web of Science, OpenGrey, British Library, trial registries) for relevant reports. Two independent reviewers screened reports, extracted data, and performed a risk of bias assessment. Overall, we included 20 out of the 2177 identified reports that allow for a succinct evaluation of implicit motor learning. Of these, only 1 study investigated learning on a relatively complex, whole-body (balance board) task. All 19 other studies concerned variants of the serial-reaction time paradigm, with most of these focusing on learning with the unaffected hand (N = 13) rather than the affected hand or both hands (both: N = 4). Four of the 20 studies compared explicit and implicit motor learning post-stroke. Meta-analyses suggest that patients with stroke can learn implicitly with their unaffected side (mean difference (MD) = 69 ms, 95% CI[45.1, 92.9], p < .00001), but not with their affected side (standardized MD = -.11, 95% CI[-.45, .25], p = .56). Finally, implicit motor learning seemed equally effective as explicit motor learning post-stroke (SMD = -.54, 95% CI[-1.37, .29], p = .20). However, overall, the high risk of bias, small samples, and limited clinical relevance of most studies make it impossible to draw reliable conclusions regarding the effect of implicit motor learning strategies post-stroke. High quality studies with larger samples are warranted to test implicit motor learning in clinically relevant contexts.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166376
spellingShingle E Kal
M Winters
J van der Kamp
H Houdijk
E Groet
C van Bennekom
E Scherder
Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
PLoS ONE
title Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
title_full Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
title_fullStr Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
title_short Is Implicit Motor Learning Preserved after Stroke? A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
title_sort is implicit motor learning preserved after stroke a systematic review with meta analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0166376
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