Different visuomotor processes maturation rates in children support dual visuomotor learning systems

• We tested error-based and strategy-based visuomotor learning across childhood development.
• Throwing variability results are consistent with different motor control maturation rates.
• Younger children showed significant slower aftereffects extinction rates.
• Fewer younger children showed strategy-based learning.
• These results are consistent with various visuomotor learning mechanisms showing different maturation rates.

Different processes are involved during visuomotor learning, including an error-based procedural and a strategy based cognitive mechanism. Our objective was to analyze if the changes in the adaptation or the aftereffect components of visuomotor learning measured across development, reflected different maturation rates of the aforementioned mechanisms. Ninety-five healthy children aged 4–12 years and a group of young adults participated in a wedge prism and a dove prism throwing task, which laterally displace or horizontally reverse the visual field respectively. The results show that despite the age-related differences in motor control, all children groups adapted in the error-based wedge prisms condition. However, when removing the prism, small children showed a slower aftereffects extinction rate. On the strategy-based visual reversing task only the older children group reached adult-like levels. These results are consistent with the idea of different mechanisms with asynchronous maturation rates participating during visuomotor learning.