Long-term exercise is associated with improved performance on a variety of cognitive tasks including attention, executive function, and long-term memory. Remarkably, recent studies have shown that even a single bout of aerobic exercise can lead to immediate improvements in declarative learning and memory, but less is known about the effect of exercise on motor learning. Here we sought to determine the effect of a single bout of moderate intensity aerobic exercise on motor skill learning. In experiment 1, we investigated the effect of moderate aerobic exercise on motor acquisition. 24 young, healthy adults performed a motor learning task either immediately after 30 minutes of moderate intensity running, after running followed by a long rest period, or after slow walking. Motor skill was assessed via a speed-accuracy tradeoff function to determine how exercise might differentially affect two distinct components of motor learning performance: movement speed and accuracy. In experiment 2, we investigated both acquisition and retention of motor skill across multiple days of training. 20 additional participants performed either a bout of running or slow walking immediately before motor learning on three consecutive days, and only motor learning (no exercise) on a fourth day. We found that moderate intensity running led to an immediate improvement in motor acquisition for both a single session and on multiple sessions across subsequent days, but had no effect on between-day retention. This effect was driven by improved movement accuracy, as opposed to speed. However, the benefit of exercise was dependent upon motor learning occurring immediately after exercise–resting for a period of one hour after exercise diminished the effect. These results demonstrate that moderate intensity exercise can prime the nervous system for the acquisition of new motor skills, and suggest that similar exercise protocols may be effective in improving the outcomes of movement rehabilitation programs.

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Children with cerebral palsy (CP), have impaired postnatal muscle growth, with some muscles developing contractures. Functionally, children are either able to walk or primarily use wheelchairs. Satellite cells are muscle stem cells (MuSC) required for postnatal development and source of myonuclei. Only MuSC abundance has been previously reported in contractured muscles, with myogenic characteristics assessed only in vitro. We investigated if MuSC myogenic, myonuclear and myofiber characteristics in situ differs between contractured and non-contractured muscles, across functional levels, and compared to typically developing (TD) children with musculoskeletal injury. Open muscle biopsies were obtained from thirty-six children (30 CP, 6 TD) during surgery; contracture correction for adductors or gastrocnemius, or from vastus lateralis (bony surgery in CP, ACL repair in TD). Muscle cross-sections were immunohistochemically labeled for MuSC abundance, activation, proliferation, nuclei, myofiber borders, type-1 fibers, collagen content in serial sections. Although, MuSC abundance was greater in contractured muscles, primarily in type-1 fibers, their myogenic characteristics (activation, proliferation) were lower compared to non-contractured muscles. Overall, MuSC abundance, activation and proliferation appear to be associated with collagen content. Myonuclear number was similar between all muscles, but only in contractured muscles were there associations between myonuclear number, MuSC abundance and fiber cross-sectional area. Puzzlingly, MuSC characteristics were similar between ambulatory and non-ambulatory children. Non-contractured muscles in children with CP had a lower MuSC abundance compared to TD-ACL injured children, but similar myogenic characteristics. Contractured muscles may have an altered developmental progression of postnatal MuSC pool establishment, needed for lifelong efficient growth and repair.

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More than 90% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries; however, few studies have examined the illness experiences of individuals living with and providing treatment for COPD in these settings. This study characterizes illness representations for COPD in Nakaseke, Uganda from the perspectives of health care providers, village health teams and community members (CMs) with COPD. We conducted 40 in-depth, semi-structured interviews (16 health care providers, 12 village health teams and 12 CMs, aged 25–80 years). Interviews were analyzed using inductive coding, and the Illness Representations Model guided our analysis. Stakeholder groups showed concordance in identifying causal mechanisms of COPD, but showed disagreement in reasons for care seeking behaviors and treatment preferences. CMs did not use a distinct label to differentiate COPD from other respiratory illnesses, and described both the physical and social consequences of COPD. Local representations can inform development of adapted educational and self-management tools for COPD.