A Comparison of Implicit and Explicit Motor Sequence Learning in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

This study tends to assess implicit and explicit types of motor learning in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and normal peers by means of a serial reaction time. Sample size was 15 for each group and Samples included 30 patients with MS and 30 normal peers and were assigned to implicit and explicit learning groups. A repeated measures ANOVA was used for measuring reaction time and response error, and a paired samples t-test was used to compare regular and irregular sequence data in each group. Comparison of these two types of learning in speed (response time) and accuracy (number of errors) showed the number of errors (P = 0.012) and response time (P = 0.012) in the implicit motor learning group of MS patients and the number of errors (P = 0.096) and response time (P = 0.954) in the explicit motor learning group of MS patients. Moreover, comparison showed the number of errors (P = 0.008) and response time (P = 0.05) in the implicit group of normal peers and the number of errors (P = 0.011) and response time (P = 0.442) in the explicit group of normal peers. The results showed that explaining and describing the task is less effective at training the motor sequence of MS patients and that these patients benefit more from implicit learning.

Keywords: explicit learning; implicit learning; multiple sclerosis.

Figure 1

Test guideline.