Researchers have published a groundbreaking study on how delayed feedback impacts learning in individuals suffering from moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The aim of this research was to compare the effects of delayed feedback to immediate performance feedback on learning in TBI patients, as well as to investigate the related brain networks.
Researchers at the Kessler Foundation have released an innovative study looking into the impact of delayed feedback on individuals with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The article titled “Bypassing Striatal Learning Mechanisms Using Delayed Feedback to Circumvent Learning Deficits in Traumatic Brain Injury” was published online ahead of print on July 24, 2024, in The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.
The main focus of this study was to evaluate how delayed feedback compares to immediate feedback regarding learning outcomes in TBI patients, and to analyze the brain networks involved. The study’s results indicated that participants who received delayed feedback performed better in learning tasks than those who received immediate feedback or no feedback at all. This suggests that delayed feedback may activate brain regions that are involved in memory retrieval and enhancing confidence.
Authors from the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at the foundation include Ekaterina Dobryakova, PhD; Tien T Tong, PhD; Olesya Iosipchuk; Anthony Lequerica, PhD; Veronica Schneider; Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD; and Joshua Sandry, PhD from the Psychology Department at Montclair State University.
“The results we observed might be due to the delayed feedback processing which bypasses the striatal dopaminergic areas of the brain that typically handle learning from immediate feedback, which are often damaged in TBI patients,” explained lead author Dr. Dobryakova, assistant director of Neuroscience Research at the Foundation. The findings also showed that participants felt more confident about their performance during trials with delayed feedback, which was supported by increased activity in the superior parietal and angular gyrus — regions known for aiding in successful memory retrieval and boosting memory confidence.
The study involved 28 participants with moderate-to-severe TBI who engaged in a word learning task while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Feedback was delivered either right away, after a delay, or not at all. The behavioral and imaging data demonstrated the benefits of providing delayed feedback. The key metrics included accuracy in learning performance, confidence ratings, a questionnaire after the task, and blood oxygen level-dependent signals.
“Most prior research has centered on immediate feedback, leaving a gap in understanding the effects of delayed feedback on learning. Earlier studies have indicated that immediate and delayed feedback utilize different brain areas in healthy individuals,” Dr. Dobryakova noted. “Our findings imply that for individuals with TBI, utilizing delayed feedback could significantly enhance learning outcomes by activating brain areas associated with memory retrieval and confidence, thus circumventing the damaged pathways usually required for processing immediate feedback.”
This research received support from The New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research [grant number CBIR17PIL022].
