The relationship between white matter microstructure, cardiovascular fitness, gross motor skills, and neurocognitive functioning in children

Abstract

Recent evidence indicates that both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skill performance are related to enhanced neurocognitive functioning in children by influencing brain structure and functioning. This study investigates the role of white matter microstructure in the relationship of both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with neurocognitive functioning in healthy children. In total 92 children (mean age 9.1 years, range 8.0–10.7) were included in this study. Cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skill performance were assessed using performance‐based tests. Neurocognitive functioning was assessed using computerized tests (working memory, inhibition, interference control, information processing, and attention). Diffusion tensor imaging was used in combination with tract‐based spatial statistics to assess white matter microstructure as defined by fractional anisotropy (FA), axial and radial diffusivity (AD, RD). The results revealed positive associations of both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with neurocognitive functioning. Information processing and motor response inhibition were associated with FA in a cluster located in the corpus callosum. Within this cluster, higher cardiovascular fitness and better gross motor skills were both associated with greater FA, greater AD, and lower RD. No mediating role was found for FA in the relationship of both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with neurocognitive functioning. The results indicate that cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills are related to neurocognitive functioning as well as white matter microstructure in children. However, this study provides no evidence for a mediating role of white matter microstructure in these relationships.

Resting state networks mediate the association between both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with neurocognitive functioning

“…Our findings expand these findings and indicate a mediating role of RSNs for both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with neurocognitive functioning in healthy children. Interestingly, in previous work, we also found associations between both cardiovascular fitness and gross motor skills with white matter microstructure that related to the same neurocognitive functions as the current study (Information Processing and Control; Meijer et al, 2021). Together, these findings suggest that both structural and functional aspects of brain networks may respond to physical activity through effects on cardiovascular fitness or gross motor skills.…”

The relationship of muscular endurance and coordination and dexterity with behavioral and neuroelectric indices of attention in preschool children

“…The speculation that coordination and dexterity may be associated with this temporally selective process (i.e., preparatory) was confirmed by the weak to no alpha ERS/ERD during the early stage of stimulus evaluation in the current and previous research 50 . Moreover, parietal upper alpha ERD has been associated with the fronto-parieto-occipital attention system 52 – 54 , which largely overlaps with the brain structure and connectivity that benefit from MC 59 , 60 as well as the attention networks during early development 2 . Thus, the observed association of coordination and dexterity with upper alpha ERD may be a manifestation of superior functioning of these networks.…”

Multimodal neuroimaging correlates of physical-cognitive covariation in Chilean adolescents. The Cogni-Action Project

“…Ruotsalainen, et al, (2020) found that in 12-16 years old adolescents the white-matter microstructure of the corpus callosum moderates the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and working memory 75 . Maijer et al, (2021) found no significant mediation of FA in the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and neurocognitive functioning 80 . Our finding of a trend for a mediating role of the brain phenotype in the relationship between fitness and cognition builds on this existing literature.…”