Increased cerebellar volume and BDNF level following quadrato motor training

Abstract

Using whole-brain structural measures coupled to analysis of salivary brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), we demonstrate sensory motor training-induced plasticity, including cerebellar gray matter volume increment and increased BDNF level. The increase of cerebellar volume was positively correlated with the increase of BDNF level.

Increased Alpha Band Functional Connectivity Following the Quadrato Motor Training: A Longitudinal Study

“…Since previous studies investigating electrophysiological correlates of the QMT pointed out a selective modulation of alpha-band in power spectrum, coherence and connectivity (Ben-Soussan et al, 2013, 2015), we had focused our post hoc analysis and consideration only on significant effects concerning the two sub-alpha components alpha 1 and alpha 2, although all the different bands were analyzed. In order to evaluate the longitudinal effects of the QMT over rsEEG, we computed statistical analysis on both the current density and the LLC values according to the following procedure.…”

“…Using conventional EEG approaches it was already demonstrated that QMT increases alpha coherence, as well as ideational flexibility (Ben-Soussan et al, 2013, 2015). Here we focused on the electrophysiological changes over time, taking into account eventual differences in source generators of the alpha band and its functional connectivity measured with the eLORETA software.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that QMT improves reaction times, cognitive flexibility and spatial cognition, in contrast to SMT or verbal training following a session or a month of daily QMT training (Ben-Soussan et al, 2013, 2015). QMT was further found to improve emotional well-being (Ben-Soussan et al, 2015) and in addition, QMT increased emotional regulation following a month of daily training, in contrast to a SMT (Ben-Soussan, 2014) and to have greater effects as compared to breathing meditation (Paoletti et al, in press). …”

“…Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) is a new training paradigm, which was found to increase cognitive flexibility and attention in contrast to simple motor training (SMT) and mental training (Ben-Soussan et al, 2013, 2015, 2017). As a motor task, QMT involves a series of cognitive and mental operation, which required dividing attention between the motor response for producing the correct sequences of movement and the current location of the body within the Quadrato Space.…”

“…Moreover, using resting state Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rsMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) it was pointed out that 12-weeks training of daily QMT lead to increased Fractional Anisotropy (FA) in a series of white matters pathways including corpus callosum, anterior thalamic radiations, corticospinal tracts, cerebellar peduncles and superior longitudinal fascicule (Ben-Soussan et al, 2015). …”