Two left feet? The art of dancing is Strictly all in the mind, say scientists
The reason why some people dance like Fred Astaire – while others have the natural rhythm of Ann Widdecombe – may have been uncovered by scientists.
And the answer doesn’t lie in the feet, but the head.
Oxford University researchers found that the ability to learn new moves is linked to the way the brain handles a chemical messenger.
Coordination: GABA plays a key role in a region of the brain called the motor cortex which plans and controls movements such as dancing, walking, and playing musical instruments. So don't worry if you can't dance like Fred Astaire
Levels of the chemical – called GABA – rise and fall dramatically in brains of people who are good at learning sequences of movements.
But levels are far more stable in people who struggle with the task.
The scientists said their findings helped explain why some people struggled with dance and piano lessons – and could even have implications for the treatment of stroke patients.
The researchers, led by neuroscientist Charlotte Stagg, asked volunteers to learn a sequence of finger motions. Each sequence involved ten taps of the fingers of one hand on a pad of buttons. The same principle would apply to the co-ordination needed for dancing moves.
Nature or nurture? The researchers are unsure whether the brain's response to GABA is fixed at birth or affected by years of practice and training
Some of the volunteers found the task easy – but one was unable to learn it.
They then carried out magnetic resonance imaging scans on the volunteers’ brains while they were being stimulated with a tiny electrical current – a technique designed to mimic the effects of learning – to measure levels of GABA.
GABA plays a key role in a region of the brain called the motor cortex which deals with planning and controlled movements – such as dancing and playing musical instruments.
It works as an inhibitor, preventing neurons – or the brain’s nerve cells – from linking to each other. High levels of GABA can prevent neurons forming new connections – and slow down the brain’s ability to learn – while low levels free nerve cells to create new brain circuitry.
The scans showed that levels of GABA fell most sharply in people who quickly learnt the finger sequence, the researchers report in the journal Current Biology. They dropped the least in people who struggled with the task.
‘This is very early days and there are a lot of other things that effect more complex motor skills like dancing,’ Dr Stagg said. ‘But it suggests GABA may be one reason.’
The findings could also shed light on how brains recover after strokes. Treatments that influence levels of GABA could be used to help victims of brain damage regain movement.
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