Effects of high vs. low cadence training on cyclists’ brain cortical activity during exercise

Ludyga, Sebastian; Gronwald, Thomas; Hottenrott, Kuno

doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2015.04.003

Cited by 39 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Improvements in motor function and mobility after bouts of cycling in individuals with PD could be due to increases in afferent input to the cortex. Several EEG studies in healthy individuals have shown that significant sensorimotor processing is present during active pedaling ( 37 ) and that high-cadence training promotes neural efficiency as defined with EEG spectral power analysis ( 38 ). This indicates that activation of proprioceptors with a high frequency but variable pattern may be important for symptom improvements in PD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic High-Cadence Cycling Improves Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease

et al. 2015

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RationaleIndividuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often have deficits in kinesthesia. There is a need for rehabilitation interventions that improve these kinesthetic deficits. Forced (tandem) cycling at a high cadence improves motor function. However, tandem cycling is difficult to implement in a rehabilitation setting.ObjectiveTo construct an instrumented, motored cycle and to examine if high cadence dynamic cycling promotes improvements in motor function.MethodThis motored cycle had two different modes: dynamic and static cycling. In dynamic mode, the motor maintained 75–85 rpm. In static mode, the rider determined the pedaling cadence. UPDRS Motor III and Timed Up and Go (TUG) were used to assess changes in motor function after three cycling sessions.ResultsIndividuals in the static group showed a lower cadence but a higher power, torque and heart rate than the dynamic group. UPDRS score showed a significant 13.9% improvement in the dynamic group and only a 0.9% improvement in the static group. There was also a 16.5% improvement in TUG time in the dynamic group but only an 8% improvement in the static group.ConclusionThese findings show that dynamic cycling can improve PD motor function and that activation of proprioceptors with a high cadence but variable pattern may be important for motor improvements in PD.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic High-Cadence Cycling Improves Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease

et al. 2015

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“…The experimental protocol has been described in Ludyga, Hottenrott, and Gronwald (2015a) and consisted of (1) baseline testing, (2) a 4-week training period and (3) post-testing procedures. For the exercise intervention, study participants were randomly assigned to either a high (HCT; n = 8 m/3 f) or low cadence training (LCT; n = 7 m/4 f).…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Four weeks of high cadence training alter brain cortical activity in cyclists

Ludyga

Hottenrott

Gronwald

2016

Journal of Sports Sciences

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Exercise at different cadences might serve as potential stimulus for functional adaptations of the brain, because cortical activation is sensitive to frequency of movement. Therefore, we investigated the effects of high (HCT) and low cadence training (LCT) on brain cortical activity during exercise as well as endurance performance. Cyclists were randomly assigned to low and high cadence training. Over the 4-week training period, participants performed 4 h of basic endurance training as well as four additional cadence-specific exercise sessions, 60 min weekly. At baseline and after 4 weeks, participants completed an incremental exercise test with spirometry and exercise at constant load with registration of electroencephalogram (EEG). Compared with LCT, a greater increase of frontal alpha/beta ratio was confirmed in HCT. This was based on a lower level of beta activity during exercise. Both groups showed similar improvements in maximal oxygen consumption and power at the individual anaerobic threshold. Whereas HCT and LCT elicit similar benefits on aerobic performance, cycling at high pedalling frequencies enables participants to perform an exercise bout with less cortical activation.

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“…Evidence from longitudinal studies investigating effects of motor training consistently supports the efficiency of cortical function in high performers, because motor cortex activity decreased despite improvements on task performance after a training period [ 5 , 10 , 11 ]. Similarly, 4 weeks of endurance training in cyclists led to improved aerobic performance but decreased brain cortical activity during exercise [ 12 ]. Based on those findings, the neural efficiency hypothesis might also be applicable to endurance athletes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As neural efficiency is task-related, it is necessary to study brain cortical activity in athletes directly during endurance exercise. The majority of studies investigating brain function while moving predominantly examined subjects during cycling exercise [ 12 ], because it does not create stepping impacts that provoke strong neck muscle contractions and electrode movements [ 24 ]. Furthermore, experienced cyclists are thought to be able to maintain a stable body position even at demanding workloads, so that the likeliness of movement-related artefacts in the EEG signal is reduced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Athlete’s Brain: Cross-Sectional Evidence for Neural Efficiency during Cycling Exercise

2016

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The “neural efficiency” hypothesis suggests that experts are characterized by a more efficient cortical function in cognitive tests. Although this hypothesis has been extended to a variety of movement-related tasks within the last years, it is unclear whether or not neural efficiency is present in cyclists performing endurance exercise. Therefore, this study examined brain cortical activity at rest and during exercise between cyclists of higher (HIGH; n = 14; 55.6 ± 2.8 mL/min/kg) and lower (LOW; n = 15; 46.4 ± 4.1 mL/min/kg) maximal oxygen consumption (VO2MAX). Male and female participants performed a graded exercise test with spirometry to assess VO2MAX. After 3 to 5 days, EEG was recorded at rest with eyes closed and during cycling at the individual anaerobic threshold over a 30 min period. Possible differences in alpha/beta ratio as well as alpha and beta power were investigated at frontal, central, and parietal sites. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences between groups (F = 12.04; p = 0.002), as the alpha/beta ratio was increased in HIGH compared to LOW in both the resting state (p ≤ 0.018) and the exercise condition (p ≤ 0.025). The present results indicate enhanced neural efficiency in subjects with high VO2MAX, possibly due to the inhibition of task-irrelevant cognitive processes.

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Effects of high vs. low cadence training on cyclists’ brain cortical activity during exercise

Cited by 39 publications

References 27 publications

Dynamic High-Cadence Cycling Improves Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease

Dynamic High-Cadence Cycling Improves Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease

Four weeks of high cadence training alter brain cortical activity in cyclists

The Athlete’s Brain: Cross-Sectional Evidence for Neural Efficiency during Cycling Exercise

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