The effects of exercise on cognitive function and brain plasticity – a feasibility trial

Abstract

Background Exercise-mediated cognitive improvements can be at least partly attributed to neuroplastic changes in the nervous system, and may be influenced by the Val66Met polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to assess mechanisms of plasticity in humans noninvasively. Objectives To assess the feasibility of evaluating the effects of short-term regular exercise on cognitive performance, and to evaluate the relationship between these effects, TMS measures of plasticity, and BDNF Met carrier status in young healthy sedentary adults. Methods Of the 19 participants who enrolled in the study, 14 sedentary adults (12 females, age mean ± SD, 27 ± 12.3 yr), with less than two sessions of physical exercise in the preceding 2 months, completed an aerobic exercise regimen including four 30-min daily sessions per week for 4 weeks (for a total of 16 sessions) delivered at 55–64% of age-predicted maximal heart rate. Prior to and following the exercise regimen, participants performed a neuropsychological test battery and an intermittent theta-burst TMS plasticity protocol. Results All participants completed the various measures and adhered to the exercise regimen. There were no complications and the results obtained were reliable. The feasibility of the approach is thus well established. Between-group comparisons of pre-post change revealed trends toward increased performance on the Stroop and faster reaction times in the CPT detectability in the Val66Val subgroup (p = 0.07 and p = 0.08), and a reduction in TBS-induced modulation of TMS responses in Met carriers (p = 0.07). Conclusion Acute exercise interventions in sedentary adults can be meaningfully conducted along with cognitive and neurophysiologic measures to assess behavioral and neurobiological effects and assessment of BDNF polymorphism. TMS measures of plasticity can be used to evaluate the effects of exercise on brain plasticity, and relate them to neuropsychological measures of cognition.

Testosterone deprivation intensifies cognitive decline in obese male rats via glial hyperactivity, increased oxidative stress, and apoptosis in both hippocampus and cortex

“…6,27 A low level of testosterone can result in a reduced sex drive, increased body fat, 6,25 decreased motivation, 38 caused sleep problems, 39 and showed chronic low energy. [43][44][45] All of these findings demonstrated that chronic exercise may attenuate the deleterious effects of testosterone deprivation. Several studies demonstrated that chronic exercise increased physical energy 41,42 and increased brain plasticity, leading to increased cognitive function.…”

“…Several studies demonstrated that chronic exercise increased physical energy 41,42 and increased brain plasticity, leading to increased cognitive function. [43][44][45] All of these findings demonstrated that chronic exercise may attenuate the deleterious effects of testosterone deprivation. However, the present study did not investigate the level of physical energy in ND-and HFD-fed rat with orchiectomy.…”

Light aerobic exercise modulates executive function and cortical excitability

“…It is worth noting however that certain populations, such as sedentary individuals, older adults or those with a disability or within rehabilitation may not be capable of exercising at higher exercise intensities (Franco et al, ; Pinto, Newman, & Hirsch, ), and therefore, it is important to explore the effects of exercise performed at lower intensities. In one previous study, 4 weeks of light‐intensity exercise in previously sedentary individuals improved performance on the Stroop cognitive test (Gomes‐Osman et al, ), suggesting that this intensity may have modulatory properties in certain populations. Single bouts of moderate‐intensity aerobic exercise have been shown to enhance different executive functions, such as planning, task switching, response inhibition and working memory (Chang et al, ; Hung, Tsai, Chen, Wang, & Chang, ; Kamijo et al, ; Kamijo, Nishihira, Higashiura, & Kuroiwa, ; Pontifex, Hillman, Fernhall, Thompson, & Valentini, ).…”

Influences of 12-Week Physical Activity Interventions on TMS Measures of Cortical Network Inhibition and Upper Extremity Motor Performance in Older Adults—A Feasibility Study

“…This relationship may indicate that aging related motor declines might be mitigated or even reversed by the engagement in aerobic exercise. While the effect of acute exercise has been probed with respect to sensitivity to measures from TMS (Roig et al, 2012 ; Singh et al, 2014 ; Lulic et al, 2017 ), we know of few studies that have assessed the longitudinal effects of a longer-term aerobic exercise program on TMS measures of inhibitory function potentially sensitive to aging and motor control (see Gomes-Osman et al, 2017 ).…”