Getting to the Root of Fine Motor Skill Performance in Dentistry: Brain Activity During Dental Tasks in a Virtual Reality Haptic Simulation

Abstract

Background: Currently, there is little neurophysiological evidence of the relationship between working memory and propensity for conscious monitoring and control of motor skill performance (movement specific reinvestment). This study used functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine this research gap in dentistry, using undergraduate students who were asked to perform simple non-clinical and more complex clinical virtual reality (VR) dental tasks. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the association between movement specific reinvestment and blood flow to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices of the brain during dental psychomotor tasks. A secondary aim was to gain further insight to the role of movement specific reinvestment and performance when using virtual reality haptic simulators. Methods: fNIRS was used to assess oxygen demands during two dental psychomotor tasks (clinical, non-clinical) performed on a VR haptic simulator by 24 dental students. A questionnaire was used to assess the students’ propensity for movement specific reinvestment. Results: Students with a high propensity for movement specific reinvestment displayed significantly greater oxyhaemoglobin demands in an area of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex associated with working memory, during the non-clinical task (Spearman correlation, rs = - 0.49, P = .03). Conclusion: This small-scale study suggests that a propensity to use conscious control during performance of a dental VR task is associated with higher oxyhaemoglobin demands in an area of the brain linked to working memory activity.