Recovery of motor function following neurological damage is dependent on functional neuroplasticity. Mechanisms of adaptive plasticity are not well understood, thus limiting the ability to predict recovery following rehabilitation. This study examined the suitability of calibrated fMRI to study cerebrovascular changes during motor learning, as cerebrovascular function plays an important role in neuroplasticity. Results showed cerebral blood flow, BOLD and oxygen metabolism increases from rest with task but decreases with task-learning. However, high inter-subject response variability was observed. Calibrated fMRI shows promise for studying cerebrovascular changes during learning but the repeatability and stability of measurements requires further investigation.
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