Skill acquisition is a complex process which involves experience-dependent reorganization of functional brain networks. Learning-derived modifications have been widely reported, in both task-evoked neural activity and resting-state functional connectivity. Taking the close correspondence between the two into account, in this work we investigated functional connectivity alterations following learning and their relations to changes in activity and to behavioral learning outcomes. Hearing individuals naïve to sign languages (n=79, 50 females) attended an extensive Israeli Sign Language course and underwent task and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after learning. We found widespread changes in the functional connectome, which exhibited significant spatial correspondence with changes in task-derived activation maps, suggesting coordinated reorganization mechanisms. Furthermore, post-learning functional connectivity was predictive of behavioral sign-language test scores obtained immediately following learning and six months later, associating functional connections with short- and long-term learning outcomes. Together, these findings suggest a tight link between task-evoked activity and functional connectivity changes following learning, and further associate connectivity with behavioral outcomes. Significance statement Skill acquisition is a key aspect of human cognition. The neural underpinnings of this complex process are under constant examinations. While a close correspondence between task-activity and functional connectivity at rest have been reported, investigations of this relationship during the acquisition of a new skill are limited. Here, we show a high spatial similarity between changes in task-activation and functional network architecture following sign language learning. Moreover, we demonstrate that post-learning functional connections are predictive of short- and long-term learning success. Overall, we show that skill acquisition drives interconnected alterations in resting-state connectivity and task-induced activity, with implications to behavior.
Coldham et al. (Fri,) studied this question.