Adaptation to Visuomotor Transformations: Consolidation, Interference, and Forgetting

Experiment 1. A-D, Rotation learning (open circles and dashed lines) and relearning (filled circles and solid lines) curves for groups 1-4, respectively. Learning is shown by the progressive reduction in the directional error at peak velocity (in degrees) across cycles. Points, representing the group average with SE for each cycle, are fitted by a double-exponential function. Cycles 2-11, which were used in the analysis, are enclosed by a box. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed no main effect of session (learning vs relearning) on directional error (F_(1,40) = 1.13; p > 0.05). However, there was a significant difference between groups (F_(3,40) = 15.54; p < 0.0001) and a significant session × group interaction (F_(3,40) = 5.97; p < 0.0018). This interaction was driven entirely by the control group (group 1), which showed a substantial decrease of directional error with relearning. E, Percentage change in rotation learning from the learning to the relearning session. Bars represent mean percentage change and SE for each group. ANOVA revealed an effect of group (F_(3,20) = 9.10; p = 0.0005), and post hoc tests showed significant differences (p < 0.0083) between the control group and the other three groups but not among the other three groups.