biostudies-literatureKing EMNational Institutes of Healthe0276060https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9565666biostudies-literatureUnknown17(10)Learning to sequence movements is necessary for skillful interaction with the environment. Neuroplasticity, particularly long-term potentiation (LTP), within sensorimotor networks underlies the acquisition of motor skill. Short-term immobilization of the arm, even less than 12 hours, can reduce corticospinal excitability and increase the capacity for LTP-like plasticity within the contralateral primary motor cortex. However, it is still unclear whether short-term immobilization influences motor skill acquisition. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term arm immobilization on implicit, sequence-specific motor skill acquisition using a modified Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT). Twenty young, neurotypical adults underwent a single SRTT training session after six hours of iPloS oneEffects of short-term arm immobilization on motor skill acquisition.PMC95656662T32HD071845-06Borich MREdwards LLKing EMfalseEffects of short-term arm immobilization on motor skill acquisition.Learning to sequence movements is necessary for skillful interaction with the environment. Neuroplasticity, particularly long-term potentiation (LTP), within sensorimotor networks underlies the acquisition of motor skill. Short-term immobilization of the arm, even less than 12 hours, can reduce corticospinal excitability and increase the capacity for LTP-like plasticity within the contralateral primary motor cortex. However, it is still unclear whether short-term immobilization influences motor skill acquisition. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term arm immobilization on implicit, sequence-specific motor skill acquisition using a modified Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT). Twenty young, neurotypical adults underwent a single SRTT training session after six hours of i2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-04-18T18:33:05.829Z2025-04-07T06:13:02.655ZS-EPMC95656663624021910.1371/journal.pone.0276060