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Abstract #1793

  White matter neuroplasticity: Motor learning modifies hemodynamic responses in the internal capsule

Lukas A. Grajauskas1,2,3, Tory Frizzell2,4, Sujoy Hajra2,4, Caressa Liu2,4, Xiaowei Song2,3, and Ryan C.N. D'Arcy4,5
1Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, 2Surrey Memorial Hospital ImageTech Laboratory, Fraser Health, Surrey, BC, Canada, 3Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, 4Faculty of Applied Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, 5Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Though white matter has a noted role in motor learning, there have been no MRI studies of functional neuroplasticity in this tissue. Therefore, in this work, twelve healthy participants underwent a motor training program designed to drive behavioral changes in the non-dominant hand. Using BOLD fMRI, we noted an associated change in the temporal dispersion of the white matter hemodynamic response over the training period. This is in line with previous DTI studies that show increases in white matter myelination with training, and BOLD investigations that show hemodynamic responses differ between grey and white matter, and between white matter tracts.

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