Physiological, Anatomical and Metabolic Correlates of Aerobic Fitness in Human Primary Motor Cortex: A Multimodal Study. (1st May 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yi Ran; Lefebvre, Geneviève; Picard, Maude; Lamoureux-Andrichuk, Audrey; Ferland, Marie Chantal; Therrien-Blanchet, Jean-Marc; Boré, Arnaud; Tremblay, Jonathan; Descoteaux, Maxime; Champoux, François; Théoret, Hugo
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience. Volume 517(2023)
• Page Start: 70
• Page End: 83
• Publication Date: 2023-05-01
• Subjects: aerobic fitness -- VO2max -- corticospinal excitability -- diffusion imaging -- magnetic resonance spectroscopy -- motor cortex; PA physical activity -- CRF cardiorespiratory fitness -- TMS transcranial magnetic stimulation -- AE aerobic exercise -- SICI short-interval intracortical inhibition -- ICF intracortical facilitation -- FA fractional anisotropy -- CT cortical thickness -- RER respiratory exchange ratio -- rMT resting motor threshold -- FDI first dorsal interosseus -- GM grey matter -- WM white matter -- CST corticospinal tract -- I/O input-output -- MRS magnetic resonance spectroscopy -- EMG electromyographic -- CS conditioning stimulus -- TS test stimulus; Neurochemistry -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurochimie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurochemistry; Neurophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.03.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4522

Abstract

Abstract: Physical activity (PA) has been shown to benefit various cognitive functions and promote neuroplasticity. Whereas the effects of PA on brain anatomy and function have been well documented in older individuals, data are scarce in young adults. Whether high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) achieved through regular PA are associated with significant structural and functional changes in this age group remains largely unknown. In the present study, twenty young adults that engaged in at least 8 hours per week of aerobic exercise during the last 5 years were compared to twenty sedentary controls on measures of cortical excitability, white matter microstructure, cortical thickness and metabolite concentration. All measures were taken in the left primary motor cortex and CRF was assessed with VO2max . Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) revealed higher corticospinal excitability in high- compared to low-fit individuals reflected by greater input/output curve amplitude and slope. No group differences were found for other TMS (short-interval intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation), diffusion MRI (fractional anisotropy and apparent fiber density), structural MRI (cortical thickness) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NAA, GABA, Glx) measures. Taken together, the present data suggest that brain changes associated with increased CRF are relatively limited, at least in primary motor cortex, in contrast to what has been observed in older adults.