Background: Adolescence is a sensitive period in motor development but little is known about how long-term learning dependent processes shape hand function in tasks of different complexity.
Procedure: We mapped two fundamental aspects of hand function: simple repetitive and complex sequential finger movements, as a function of the length of musical instrumental training. We controlled maturational factors such as chronological and biological age of adolescent female participants (11 to 15 years of age, n = 114).
Results: We demonstrated that experience improves performance as a function of task complexity, the more complex task being more susceptible for experience driven performance changes.
Conclusion: Overall, these results suggest that fine motor skills involving cognitive control and relying on long-range functional brain networks are substantially shaped by experience. On the other hand, performance in a simple repetitive task that explains fine motor speed is primarily determined by white matter development driven by maturational factors.
Keywords: Adolescent; Fine motor; Finger tapping; Maturation; Musical experience; Task complexity.
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