Sex differences in the acquisition of complex skilled movements.

Experimental Brain Research
Nichola Rice CohenRobert Sekuler

Abstract

The praxis system comprises a network of brain regions dedicated to complex skilled movements. Following suggestions of a female advantage on learned movements (Chipman and Hampson in Neuropsychologia 44(12):2315-2329, 2006), we investigated how males and females acquire skilled movements. Subjects viewed and imitated sequences of hand movements, which were repeated ten times. Subjects' imitations were captured by a data glove, and the temporal and spatial characteristics of the imitations were compared to the model sequence. We propose an account of the computations required for imitating hand movement sequences and define the errors that may arise from failures at these computations. Our results demonstrate a female advantage in the acquisition of hand movement sequences and show that this sex difference is accounted for by a female advantage in planning, rather than an advantage in execution or online control. Further, the female advantage is specific to the production of items within a sequence and does not affect the proper ordering of items. Our findings have important implications for sex-sensitive instructional strategies, as well as for understanding the human praxis system.

References

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Mar 1, 1983·Canadian Journal of Psychology·D Kimura
Mar 20, 2002·Neuropsychologia·Karen ChipmanDoreen Kimura
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Apr 20, 2006·PLoS Biology·Mark H Histed, Earl K Miller
Jun 20, 2006·Neuropsychologia·Karen Chipman, Elizabeth Hampson
May 10, 2007·Developmental Neuropsychology·Karen Chipman, Elizabeth Hampson
May 18, 2007·Journal of the Neurological Sciences·Lewis A Wheaton, Mark Hallett
Feb 16, 2008·Experimental Brain Research·Brian J GoldRobert Sekuler
Aug 29, 2009·NeuroRehabilitation·Sergei V AdamovichAlma S Merians

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Citations

Dec 9, 2016·Disability and Rehabilitation·Melanie K FlemingJohn C Rothwell
Feb 2, 2021·Seizure : the Journal of the British Epilepsy Association·Loretta GiulianoBarbara Mostacci

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