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Jalanko P, Säisänen L, Kallioniemi E, Könönen M, Lakka TA, Määttä S, Haapala EA. Associations between physical fitness and cerebellar gray matter volume in adolescents. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2024; 34:e14513. [PMID: 37814505 DOI: 10.1111/sms.14513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of the developing cerebellum on cognition, the associations between physical fitness and cerebellar volume in adolescents remain unclear. We explored the associations of physical fitness with gray matter (GM) volume of VI, VIIb and Crus I & II, which are cerebellar lobules related to cognition, in 40 (22 females; 17.9 ± 0.8 year-old) adolescents, and whether the associations were sex-specific. Peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak ) and power were assessed by maximal ramp test on a cycle ergometer, muscular strength with standing long jump (SLJ), speed-agility with the shuttle-run test (SRT), coordination with the Box and Block Test (BBT) and neuromuscular performance index (NPI) as the sum of SLJ, BBT and SRT z-scores. Body composition was measured using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Cerebellar volumes were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. V̇O2peak relative to lean mass was inversely associated with the GM volume of the cerebellum (standardized regression coefficient (β) = -0.038, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.075 to 0.001, p = 0.044). Cumulative NPI was positively associated with the GM volume of Crus I (β = 0.362, 95% CI 0.045 to 0.679, p = 0.027). In females, better performance in SRT was associated with a larger GM volume of Crus I (β = -0.373, 95% CI -0.760 to -0.028, p = 0.036). In males, cumulative NPI was inversely associated with the GM volume of Crus II (β = -0.793, 95% CI -1.579 to -0.008 p = 0.048). Other associations were nonsignificant. In conclusion, cardiorespiratory fitness, neuromuscular performance and speed-agility were associated with cerebellar GM volume, and the strength and direction of associations were sex-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petri Jalanko
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Helsinki Clinic for Sports and Exercise Medicine (HULA), Foundation for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura Säisänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology/Imaging Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Elisa Kallioniemi
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mervi Könönen
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Timo A Lakka
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Foundation for Research in Health Exercise and Nutrition, Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sara Määttä
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Eero A Haapala
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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2
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Bao H, He X, Wang F, Kang D. Study of Brain Structure and Function in Chronic Mountain Sickness Based on fMRI. Front Neurol 2022; 12:763835. [PMID: 35069409 PMCID: PMC8777079 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.763835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Headache and memory impairment are the primary clinical symptoms of chronic mountain sickness (CMS). In this study, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and the amplitude of the low-frequency fluctuation method (ALFF) based on blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) to identify changes in the brain structure and function caused by CMS. Materials and Methods: T1W anatomical images and a resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) of the whole brain were performed in 24 patients diagnosed with CMS and 25 normal controls matched for age, sex, years of education, and living altitude. MRI images were acquired, followed by VBM and ALFF data analyses. Results: Compared with the control group, the CMS group had increased gray matter volume in the left cerebellum crus II area, left inferior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, right insula, right caudate nucleus, and bilateral lentiform nucleus along with decreased gray matter volume in the left middle occipital gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus. White matter was decreased in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus and increased in the right Heschl's gyrus. Resting-state fMRI in patients with CMS showed increased spontaneous brain activity in the left supramarginal gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus, and left middle temporal gyrus along with decreased spontaneous brain activity in the right cerebellum crus I area and right supplementary motor area. Conclusion: Patients with CMS had differences in gray and white matter volume and abnormal spontaneous brain activity in multiple brain regions compared to the controls. This suggests that long-term chronic hypoxia may induce changes in brain structure and function, resulting in CMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihua Bao
- Department of Medical Imaging Center, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, Xining, China
| | - Xin He
- Department of Medical Imaging Center, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, Xining, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging Center, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, Xining, China
| | - Dongjie Kang
- Department of Medical Imaging Center, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, Xining, China
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3
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Kourtidou-Papadeli C, Frantzidis CA, Bakirtzis C, Petridou A, Gilou S, Karkala A, Machairas I, Kantouris N, Nday CM, Dermitzakis EV, Bakas E, Mougios V, Bamidis PD, Vernikos J. Therapeutic Benefits of Short-Arm Human Centrifugation in Multiple Sclerosis-A New Approach. Front Neurol 2022; 12:746832. [PMID: 35058870 PMCID: PMC8764123 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.746832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Short-arm human centrifugation (SAHC) is proposed as a robust countermeasure to treat deconditioning and prevent progressive disability in a case of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Based on long-term physiological knowledge derived from space medicine and missions, artificial gravity training seems to be a promising physical rehabilitation approach toward the prevention of musculoskeletal decrement due to confinement and inactivity. So, the present study proposes a novel infrastructure based on SAHC to investigate the hypothesis that artificial gravity ameliorates the degree of disability. The patient was submitted to a 4-week training programme including three weekly sessions of 30 min of intermittent centrifugation at 1.5–2 g. During sessions, cardiovascular, muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses were monitored, whereas neurological and physical performance tests were carried out before and after the intervention. Cardiovascular parameters improved in a way reminiscent of adaptations to aerobic exercise. SmO2 decreased during sessions concomitant with increased g load, and, as training progressed, SmO2 of the suffering limb dropped, both effects suggesting increased oxygen use, similar to that seen during hard exercise. EEG showed increased slow and decreased fast brain waves, with brain reorganization/plasticity evidenced through functional connectivity alterations. Multiple-sclerosis-related disability and balance capacity also improved. Overall, this study provides novel evidence supporting SAHC as a promising therapeutic strategy in multiple sclerosis, based on mechanical loading, thereby setting the basis for future randomized controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysoula Kourtidou-Papadeli
- Biomedical Engineering and Aerospace Neuroscience (BEAN), Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research (GASMA-SR), Thessaloniki, Greece.,Laboratory of Aerospace and Rehabilitation Applications "Joan Vernikos", AROGI Rehabilitation Centre, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Aeromedical Center of Thessaloniki (AeMC), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos A Frantzidis
- Biomedical Engineering and Aerospace Neuroscience (BEAN), Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research (GASMA-SR), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos Bakirtzis
- Department of Neurology, Multiple Sclerosis Center, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anatoli Petridou
- Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, School of Physical Education and Sport Science at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sotiria Gilou
- Biomedical Engineering and Aerospace Neuroscience (BEAN), Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Aliki Karkala
- Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research (GASMA-SR), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ilias Machairas
- Biomedical Engineering and Aerospace Neuroscience (BEAN), Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Kantouris
- Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research (GASMA-SR), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christiane M Nday
- Biomedical Engineering and Aerospace Neuroscience (BEAN), Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Eleftherios Bakas
- Laboratory of Aerospace and Rehabilitation Applications "Joan Vernikos", AROGI Rehabilitation Centre, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vassilis Mougios
- Laboratory of Evaluation of Human Biological Performance, School of Physical Education and Sport Science at Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiotis D Bamidis
- Biomedical Engineering and Aerospace Neuroscience (BEAN), Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research (GASMA-SR), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Joan Vernikos
- Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research (GASMA-SR), Thessaloniki, Greece.,Thirdage LLC, Culpeper, VA, United States
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Haeger A, Costa AS, Schulz JB, Reetz K. Cerebral changes improved by physical activity during cognitive decline: A systematic review on MRI studies. Neuroimage Clin 2019; 23:101933. [PMID: 31491837 PMCID: PMC6699421 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Current treatment in late-life cognitive impairment and dementia is still limited, and there is no cure for brain tissue degeneration or reversal of cognitive decline. Physical activity represents a promising non-pharmacological interventional approach in many diseases causing cognitive impairment, but its effect on brain integrity is still largely unknown. Especially research of cerebral alterations in disease state that goes beyond observations of clinical improvement is crucial to understand disease processes and possible effective treatments. In this systematic review, we address the question how physical activity and fitness in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) influences brain architecture compared to cognitively healthy elderly. We review both interventional studies comprising aerobic, coordinative and resistance exercises and observational studies on fitness and physical activity combined with Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI). Different MRI approaches were included such as volumetric and structural analyses, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), functional MRI and Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF). We evaluate MRI results for different exercise modalities and performed a methodological evaluation of interventional studies in cognitive decline compared to normal aging. According to our results, among 12 interventions in AD/MCI, aerobic exercise is most frequently applied (9 studies). Interventions in AD/MCI altogether reveal a higher methodological quality compared to interventions in healthy elderly (8.33 ± 2.19 vs. 6.25 ± 2.36 out of 13 points), with most frequent missing aspects related to descriptions of complications, lack of intention-to-treat and statistical power analyses. Effects of aerobic exercise and fitness seem to mainly impact brain structures sensitive to neurodegeneration, which especially comprise frontal, temporal and parietal regions, such as the hippocampal/parahippocampal region, precuneus, anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex, which are reported by several studies. General fitness measured via an objective fitness assessment and questionnaires seems to have a more global cerebral effect, probably due to its long-term application, whereas distinct intervention effects of durations between 3 and 6 months seem to concentrate on more local brain regions as the hippocampus, which can also be influenced by region of interest analyses. There is still a lack of evidence on other or combined types of intervention modalities, such as resistance, coordinative as well as multicomponent exercise during cognitive decline, and complex interventions as dancing. Future research should examine their beneficial effect on brain integrity, since several non-MRI studies already point to their advantageous impact. As a further future prospect, combination and application of newly developed imaging methods such as metabolic imaging should be envisaged to understand physical activity and its cerebral influence under its many-sided facets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Haeger
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ana S Costa
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- RWTH Aachen University, Department of Neurology, Aachen, Germany; JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
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5
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Hill T, Polk JD. BDNF, endurance activity, and mechanisms underlying the evolution of hominin brains. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168 Suppl 67:47-62. [PMID: 30575024 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As a complex, polygenic trait, brain size has likely been influenced by a range of direct and indirect selection pressures for both cognitive and non-cognitive functions and capabilities. It has been hypothesized that hominin brain expansion was, in part, a correlated response to selection acting on aerobic capacity (Raichlen & Polk, 2013). According to this hypothesis, selection for aerobic capacity increased the activity of various signaling molecules, including those involved in brain growth. One key molecule is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that regulates neuronal development, survival, and plasticity in mammals. This review updates, partially tests, and expands Raichlen and Polk's (2013) hypothesis by evaluating evidence for BDNF as a mediator of brain size. DISCUSSION We contend that selection for endurance capabilities in a hot climate favored changes to muscle composition, mitochondrial dynamics and increased energy budget through pathways involving regulation of PGC-1α and MEF2 genes, both of which promote BDNF activity. In addition, the evolution of hairlessness and the skin's thermoregulatory response provide other molecular pathways that promote both BDNF activity and neurotransmitter synthesis. We discuss how these pathways contributed to the evolution of brain size and function in human evolution and propose avenues for future research. Our results support Raichlen and Polk's contention that selection for non-cognitive functions has direct mechanistic linkages to the evolution of brain size in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Hill
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - John D Polk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, Illinois
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6
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Tremblay S, Pascual-Leone A, Théoret H. A review of the effects of physical activity and sports concussion on brain function and anatomy. Int J Psychophysiol 2018; 132:167-175. [PMID: 28893565 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Physical activity has been associated with widespread anatomical and functional brain changes that occur following acute exercise or, in the case of athletes, throughout life. High levels of physical activity through the practice of sports also lead to better general health and increased cognitive function. Athletes are at risk, however, of suffering a concussion, the effects of which have been extensively described for brain function and anatomy. The level to which these effects are modulated by increased levels of fitness is not known. Here, we review literature describing the effects of physical activity and sports concussions on white matter, grey matter, neurochemistry and cortical excitability. We suggest that the effects of sports concussion can be coufounded by the effects of exercise. Indeed, available data show that the brain of athletes is different from that of healthy individuals with a non-active lifestyle. As a result, sports concussions take place in a context where structural/functional plasticity has occurred prior to the concussive event. The sports concussion literature does not permit, at present, to separate the effects of intense and repeated physical activity, and the abrupt removal from such activities, from those of concussion on brain structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Tremblay
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Alvaro Pascual-Leone
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Division for Cognitive Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hugo Théoret
- Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
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Tao J, Liu J, Liu W, Huang J, Xue X, Chen X, Wu J, Zheng G, Chen B, Li M, Sun S, Jorgenson K, Lang C, Hu K, Chen S, Chen L, Kong J. Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin Increase Grey Matter Volume in Older Adults: A Brain Imaging Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 60:389-400. [PMID: 28869478 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate and compare how 12-weeks of Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin exercise can modulate brain structure and memory function in older adults. Magnetic resonance imaging and memory function measurements (Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese revised, WMS-CR) were applied at both the beginning and end of the study. Results showed that both Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin could significantly increase grey matter volume (GMV) in the insula, medial temporal lobe, and putamen after 12-weeks of exercise. No significant differences were observed in GMV between the Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups. We also found that compared to healthy controls, Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin significantly improved visual reproduction subscores on the WMS-CR. Baduanjin also improved mental control, recognition, touch, and comprehension memory subscores of the WMS-CR compared to the control group. Memory quotient and visual reproduction subscores were both associated with GMV increases in the putamen and hippocampus. Our results demonstrate the potential of Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin exercise for the prevention of memory deficits in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Tao
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fuzhou, China.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jiao Liu
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fuzhou, China
| | - Weilin Liu
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jia Huang
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiehua Xue
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fuzhou, China.,Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiangli Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jinsong Wu
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Guohua Zheng
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Bai Chen
- Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ming Li
- Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sharon Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kristen Jorgenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Courtney Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kun Hu
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shanjia Chen
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Lidian Chen
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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8
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Muiños M, Ballesteros S. Does physical exercise improve perceptual skills and visuospatial attention in older adults? A review. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 2018. [DOI: 10.1186/s11556-018-0191-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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9
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Cárdenas D, Madinabeitia I, Vera J, Perales JC, García-Ramos A, Ortega E, Catena-Verdejo E, Catena A. Strength, Affect Regulation, and Subcortical Morphology in Military Pilots. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2017; 50:722-728. [PMID: 29166323 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000001500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies have shown links of body composition and fitness measures with brain structure, as well as with different aspects of emotional adjustment and well-being. However, the possible role of trait emotion-regulation success in the relationship between fitness/body composition and emotion-related subcortical structures has never been directly addressed. METHODS Twenty-three elite helicopter pilots were assessed in fat mass percentage, an endurance test to volitional exhaustion, bench-press power output, and negative urgency (trait affect regulation failure). Their brains were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging to estimate the size of the accumbens/amygdala, considered together, and the thalamus. Resulting correlations were used to test the relationship between body composition/fitness measures and brain structures' size, and the role of negative urgency therein, using structural equation modeling. RESULTS Fat mass percentage was associated with the size of the thalamus and the amygdala/accumbens. In the latter case, negative urgency and bench-press power output predicted structure size (and explained the effect of fat mass percentage away). In other words, bench-press power output and emotion regulation success (but not endurance performance) were associated with a larger amygdala/accumbens size. CONCLUSIONS Bench-press power output and emotion regulation success are independently associated with a larger amygdala/accumbens size, although present evidence does not allow for determination of causal directionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cárdenas
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - Iker Madinabeitia
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - Jesús Vera
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - José C Perales
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN.,Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - Amador García-Ramos
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN.,Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - Enrique Ortega
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - Elvira Catena-Verdejo
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
| | - Andrés Catena
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN.,Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, SPAIN
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10
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Wood KN, Badrov MB, Speechley MR, Shoemaker JK. Regional cerebral cortical thickness correlates with autonomic outflow. Auton Neurosci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.autneu.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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11
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At least eighty percent of brain grey matter is modifiable by physical activity: A review study. Behav Brain Res 2017; 332:204-217. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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12
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Newborn insula gray matter volume is prospectively associated with early life adiposity gain. Int J Obes (Lond) 2017; 41:1434-1439. [PMID: 28487552 PMCID: PMC5585030 DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2017.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Background The importance of energy homeostasis brain circuitry in the context of obesity is well established, however, the developmental ontogeny of this circuitry in humans is currently unknown. Here, we investigate the prospective association between newborn gray matter (GM) volume in the insula, a key brain region underlying energy homeostasis, and change in percent body fat accrual over the first six months of postnatal life, an outcome that represents among the most reliable infant predictors of childhood obesity risk. Methods 52 infants (29 male, 23 female, gestational age at birth=39[1.5] weeks) were assessed using structural MRI shortly after birth (postnatal age at MRI scan=25.9[12.2] days), and serial Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry shortly after birth (postnatal age at DXA scan 1=24.6[11.4] days) and at six months of age (postnatal age at DXA scan 2=26.7[3.3] weeks). Results Insula GM volume was inversely associated with change in percent body fat from birth to six-months postnatal age and accounted for 19% of its variance (β=-3.6%/S.D., p=0.001). This association was driven by the central-posterior portion of the insula, a region of particular importance for gustation and interoception. The direction of this effect is in concordance with observations in adults, and the results remained statistically significant after adjusting for relevant covariates and potential confounding variables. Conclusions Together, these findings suggest an underlying neural basis of childhood obesity that precedes the influence of the postnatal environment. The identification of plausible brain-related biomarkers of childhood obesity risk that predate the influence of the postnatal obesogenic environment may contribute to an improved understanding of propensity for obesity, early identification of at-risk individuals, and intervention targets for primary prevention.
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Wood KN, Luchyshyn TA, Shoemaker JK. High cardiorespiratory fitness in early to late middle age preserves the cortical circuitry associated with brain-heart integration during volitional exercise. J Neurophysiol 2017; 117:1831-1840. [PMID: 28228584 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00592.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
This study tested the hypothesis that high cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen uptake) preserves the cortical circuitry associated with cardiac arousal during exercise in middle- to older-aged individuals. Observations of changes in heart rate (HR) and in cortical blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) images were made in 52 healthy, active individuals (45-73 yr; 16 women, 36 men) across a range of fitness (26-66 ml·kg-1·min-1). Seven repeated bouts of isometric handgrip (IHG) at 40% maximal voluntary contraction force were performed with functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T, with each contraction lasting 20 s and separated by 40 s of rest. HR responses to IHG showed high variability across individuals. Linear regression revealed that cardiorespiratory fitness was not a strong predictor of the HR response (r2 = 0.09). In a region-of-interest analysis both the IHG task and the HR time course correlated with increased cortical activation in the bilateral insula and decreased activation relative to baseline in the anterior and posterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). t-Test results revealed greater deactivation at the MPFC with higher fitness levels beyond that of guideline-based activity. Therefore, whereas high cardiorespiratory fitness failed to affect absolute HR responses to IHG in this age range, a select effect was observed in cortical regions known to be associated with cardiovascular arousal.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our first observation suggests that fitness does not strongly predict the heart rate (HR) response to a volitional handgrip task in middle- to older-aged adults. Second, the BOLD response associated with the handgrip task, and with the HR time course, was associated with response patterns in the cortical autonomic network. Finally, whereas high cardiorespiratory fitness failed to affect absolute HR responses to isometric handgrip in this age range, a select effect was observed in cortical regions known to be associated with cardiovascular arousal, beyond that achieved through healthy active living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn N Wood
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Torri A Luchyshyn
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - J Kevin Shoemaker
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; and .,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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14
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Borsook D, Veggeberg R, Erpelding N, Borra R, Linnman C, Burstein R, Becerra L. The Insula: A "Hub of Activity" in Migraine. Neuroscientist 2016; 22:632-652. [PMID: 26290446 PMCID: PMC5723020 DOI: 10.1177/1073858415601369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The insula, a "cortical hub" buried within the lateral sulcus, is involved in a number of processes including goal-directed cognition, conscious awareness, autonomic regulation, interoception, and somatosensation. While some of these processes are well known in the clinical presentation of migraine (i.e., autonomic and somatosensory alterations), other more complex behaviors in migraine, such as conscious awareness and error detection, are less well described. Since the insula processes and relays afferent inputs from brain areas involved in these functions to areas involved in higher cortical function such as frontal, temporal, and parietal regions, it may be implicated as a brain region that translates the signals of altered internal milieu in migraine, along with other chronic pain conditions, through the insula into complex behaviors. Here we review how the insula function and structure is altered in migraine. As a brain region of a number of brain functions, it may serve as a model to study new potential clinical perspectives for migraine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Borsook
- Pain/Analgesia Imaging Neuroscience (P.A.I.N.) Group, Department of Anesthesia, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, Waltham, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Rosanna Veggeberg
- Pain/Analgesia Imaging Neuroscience (P.A.I.N.) Group, Department of Anesthesia, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Nathalie Erpelding
- Pain/Analgesia Imaging Neuroscience (P.A.I.N.) Group, Department of Anesthesia, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Ronald Borra
- Pain/Analgesia Imaging Neuroscience (P.A.I.N.) Group, Department of Anesthesia, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Clas Linnman
- Pain/Analgesia Imaging Neuroscience (P.A.I.N.) Group, Department of Anesthesia, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Rami Burstein
- Department of Anesthesia, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lino Becerra
- Pain/Analgesia Imaging Neuroscience (P.A.I.N.) Group, Department of Anesthesia, Boston Children's Hospital, Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School, Waltham, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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15
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Raichlen DA, Bharadwaj PK, Fitzhugh MC, Haws KA, Torre GA, Trouard TP, Alexander GE. Differences in Resting State Functional Connectivity between Young Adult Endurance Athletes and Healthy Controls. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:610. [PMID: 28018192 PMCID: PMC5147411 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Expertise and training in fine motor skills has been associated with changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity. Fewer studies have explored the neural effects of athletic activities that do not seem to rely on precise fine motor control (e.g., distance running). Here, we compared resting-state functional connectivity in a sample of adult male collegiate distance runners (n = 11; age = 21.3 ± 2.5) and a group of healthy age-matched non-athlete male controls (n = 11; age = 20.6 ± 1.1), to test the hypothesis that expertise in sustained aerobic motor behaviors affects resting state functional connectivity in young adults. Although generally considered an automated repetitive task, locomotion, especially at an elite level, likely engages multiple cognitive actions including planning, inhibition, monitoring, attentional switching and multi-tasking, and motor control. Here, we examined connectivity in three resting-state networks that link such executive functions with motor control: the default mode network (DMN), the frontoparietal network (FPN), and the motor network (MN). We found two key patterns of significant between-group differences in connectivity that are consistent with the hypothesized cognitive demands of elite endurance running. First, enhanced connectivity between the FPN and brain regions often associated with aspects of working memory and other executive functions (frontal cortex), suggest endurance running may stress executive cognitive functions in ways that increase connectivity in associated networks. Second, we found significant anti-correlations between the DMN and regions associated with motor control (paracentral area), somatosensory functions (post-central region), and visual association abilities (occipital cortex). DMN deactivation with task-positive regions has been shown to be generally beneficial for cognitive performance, suggesting anti-correlated regions observed here are engaged during running. For all between-group differences, there were significant associations between connectivity, self-reported physical activity, and estimates of maximum aerobic capacity, suggesting a dose-response relationship between engagement in endurance running and connectivity strength. Together these results suggest that differences in experience with endurance running are associated with differences in functional brain connectivity. High intensity aerobic activity that requires sustained, repetitive locomotor and navigational skills may stress cognitive domains in ways that lead to altered brain connectivity, which in turn has implications for understanding the beneficial role of exercise for brain and cognitive function over the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pradyumna K Bharadwaj
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA
| | - Megan C Fitzhugh
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA
| | - Kari A Haws
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA
| | | | - Theodore P Trouard
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Medical Imaging, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, PhoenixAZ, USA
| | - Gene E Alexander
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, PhoenixAZ, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA; Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, TucsonAZ, USA
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16
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Distinct effects of late adulthood cognitive and physical activities on gray matter volume. Brain Imaging Behav 2016; 11:346-356. [DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9617-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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17
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Yang Z, Craddock RC, Milham MP. Impact of hematocrit on measurements of the intrinsic brain. Front Neurosci 2015; 8:452. [PMID: 25653582 PMCID: PMC4299407 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD)–based functional MRI (fMRI) is a widely utilized neuroimaging technique for mapping brain function. Hematocrit (HCT), a global hematologic marker of the amount of hemoglobin in blood, is known to impact task-evoked BOLD activation. Yet, its impact on resting-state fMRI (R-fMRI) measures has not been characterized. We address this gap by testing for associations between HCT level and inter-individual variation in commonly employed R-fMRI indices of intrinsic brain function from 45 healthy adults. Given known sex differences in HCT, we also examined potential sex differences. Variation in baseline HCT among individuals were associated with regional differences in four of the six intrinsic brain indices examined. Portions of the default (anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex: ACC/MPFC), dorsal attention (intraparietal sulcus), and salience (insular and opercular cortex) network showed relationships with HCT for two measures. The relationships within MPFC, as well as visual and cerebellar networks, were modulated by sex. These results suggest that inter-individual variations in HCT can serve as a source of variations in R-fMRI derivatives at a regional level. Future work is needed to delineate whether this association is attributable to neural or non-neuronal source of variations and whether these effects are related to acute or chronic differences in HCT level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yang
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute New York, NY, USA ; Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - R Cameron Craddock
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute New York, NY, USA ; Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute New York, NY, USA ; Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research Orangeburg, NY, USA
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Naugle KM, Riley JL. Self-reported physical activity predicts pain inhibitory and facilitatory function. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2014; 46:622-9. [PMID: 23899890 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e3182a69cf1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Considerable evidence suggests regular physical activity can reduce chronic pain symptoms. The dysfunction of endogenous facilitatory and inhibitory systems has been implicated in multiple chronic pain conditions. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between levels of physical activity and descending pain modulatory function. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-reported levels of physical activity in healthy adults predicted 1) pain sensitivity to heat and cold stimuli, 2) pain facilitatory function as tested by temporal summation (TS) of pain, and 3) pain inhibitory function as tested by conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and offset analgesia. METHODS Forty-eight healthy adults (age range = 18-76 yr) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the following pain tests: heat pain thresholds, heat pain suprathresholds, cold pressor pain, TS of heat pain, CPM, and offset analgesia. The IPAQ measured levels of walking, moderate, vigorous, and total physical activity over the past 7 d. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to determine the relationship between each pain test and self-reported levels of physical activity while controlling for age, sex, and psychological variables. RESULTS Self-reported total and vigorous physical activity predicted TS and CPM (P < 0.05). Individuals who self-reported more vigorous and total physical activity exhibited reduced TS of pain and greater CPM. The IPAQ measures did not predict any of the other pain measures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that healthy older and younger adults who self-report greater levels of vigorous and total physical activity exhibit enhanced descending pain modulatory function. Improved descending pain modulation may be a mechanism through which exercise reduces or prevents chronic pain symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Naugle
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL
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Demirakca T, Brusniak W, Tunc-Skarka N, Wolf I, Meier S, Matthäus F, Ende G, Schulze TG, Diener C. Does body shaping influence brain shape? Habitual physical activity is linked to brain morphology independent of age. World J Biol Psychiatry 2014; 15:387-96. [PMID: 23800199 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2013.803600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Physical activity (PA) was found to influence human brain morphology. However, the impact of PA on brain morphology was mainly demonstrated in seniors. We investigated healthy individuals across a broad age range for the relation between habitual PA and brain morphology. METHODS Ninety-five participants (19-82 years) were assessed for self-reported habitual PA with the "Baecke habitual physical activity questionnaire", and T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were evaluated with whole brain voxel based morphometry for gray and white matter volumes and densities. RESULTS Regression analyses revealed a positive relation between the extent of physical activity and gray matter volume bilaterally in the anterior hippocampal and parahippocampal gyrus independent of age and gender. Age as well as leisure and locomotion activities were linked to enhanced white matter volumes in the posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus, suggesting a positive interaction especially in seniors. CONCLUSIONS Habitual physical activity is associated with regional volumetric gray and white matter alterations. The positive relation of hippocampal volume and physical activity seems not to be restricted to seniors. Thus, habitual physical activity should be generally considered as an influencing factor in studies investigating medial temporal lobe volume and associated cognitive functions (memory), especially in psychiatric research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Traute Demirakca
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg , Mannheim , Germany
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20
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Freund W, Faust S, Gaser C, Grön G, Birklein F, Wunderlich AP, Müller M, Billich C, Schütz UH. Regionally accentuated reversible brain grey matter reduction in ultra marathon runners detected by voxel-based morphometry. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2014; 6:4. [PMID: 24438692 PMCID: PMC3896776 DOI: 10.1186/2052-1847-6-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background During the 4,487 km ultra marathon TransEurope-FootRace 2009 (TEFR09), runners showed catabolism with considerable reduction of body weight as well as reversible brain volume reduction. We hypothesized that ultra marathon athletes might have developed changes to grey matter (GM) brain morphology due to the burden of extreme physical training. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) we undertook a cross sectional study and two longitudinal studies. Methods Prior to the start of the race 13 runners volunteered to participate in this study of planned brain scans before, twice during, and 8 months after the race. A group of matched controls was recruited for comparison. Twelve runners were able to participate in the scan before the start of the race and were taken into account for comparison with control persons. Because of drop-outs during the race, VBM could be performed in 10 runners covering the first 3 time points, and in 7 runners who also had the follow-up scan after 8 months. Volumetric 3D datasets were acquired using an MPRAGE sequence. A level of p < 0.05, family-wise corrected for multiple comparisons was the a priori set statistical threshold to infer significant effects from VBM. Results Baseline comparison of TEFR09 participants and controls revealed no significant differences regarding GM brain volume. During the race however, VBM revealed GM volume decreases in regionally distributed brain regions. These included the bilateral posterior temporal and occipitoparietal cortices as well as the anterior cingulate and caudate nucleus. After eight months, GM normalized. Conclusion Contrary to our hypothesis, we did not observe significant differences between TEFR09 athletes and controls at baseline. If this missing difference is not due to small sample size, extreme physical training obviously does not chronically alter GM. However, during the race GM volume decreased in brain regions normally associated with visuospatial and language tasks. The reduction of the energy intensive default mode network as a means to conserve energy during catabolism is discussed. The changes were reversible after 8 months. Despite substantial changes to brain composition during the catabolic stress of an ultra marathon, the observed differences seem to be reversible and adaptive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Freund
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
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21
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Physical exercise habits correlate with gray matter volume of the hippocampus in healthy adult humans. Sci Rep 2013; 3:3457. [PMID: 24336512 PMCID: PMC3860009 DOI: 10.1038/srep03457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical activity facilitates neurogenesis of dentate cells in the rodent hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory formation and spatial representation. Recent findings in humans also suggest that aerobic exercise can lead to increased hippocampal volume and enhanced cognitive functioning in children and elderly adults. However, the association between physical activity and hippocampal volume during the period from early adulthood through middle age has not been effectively explored. Here, we correlated the number of minutes of self-reported exercise per week with gray matter volume of the hippocampus using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in 61 healthy adults ranging from 18 to 45 years of age. After controlling for age, gender, and total brain volume, total minutes of weekly exercise correlated significantly with volume of the right hippocampus. Findings highlight the relationship between regular physical exercise and brain structure during early to middle adulthood.
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22
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Aribisala BS, Gow AJ, Bastin ME, del Carmen Valdés Hernández M, Murray C, Royle NA, Muñoz Maniega S, Starr JM, Deary IJ, Wardlaw JM. Associations between level and change in physical function and brain volumes. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80386. [PMID: 24265818 PMCID: PMC3827194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2013] [Accepted: 10/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher levels of fitness or physical function are positively associated with cognitive outcomes but the potential underlying mechanisms via brain structure are still to be elucidated in detail. We examined associations between brain structure and physical function (contemporaneous and change over the previous three years) in community-dwelling older adults. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Participants from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (N=694) underwent brain MRI at age 73 years to assess intracranial volume, and the volumes of total brain tissue, ventricles, grey matter, normal-appearing white matter, and white matter lesions. At ages 70 and 73, physical function was assessed by 6-meter walk, grip strength, and forced expiratory volume. A summary 'physical function factor' was derived from the individual measures using principal components analysis. Performance on each individual physical function measure declined across the three year interval (p<0.001). Higher level of physical function at ages 70 and 73 was associated with larger total brain tissue and white matter volumes, and smaller ventricular and white matter lesion volumes (standardized β ranged in magnitude from 0.07 to 0.17, p<0.001 to 0.034). Decline in physical function from age 70 to 73 was associated with smaller white matter volume (0.08, p<0.01, though not after correction for multiple testing), but not with any other brain volumetric measurements. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Physical function was related to brain volumes in community-dwelling older adults: declining physical function was associated with less white matter tissue. Further study is required to explore the detailed mechanisms through which physical function might influence brain structure, and vice versa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S. Aribisala
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence) Collaboration, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Alan J. Gow
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mark E. Bastin
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence) Collaboration, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Maria del Carmen Valdés Hernández
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence) Collaboration, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Murray
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie A. Royle
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence) Collaboration, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Susana Muñoz Maniega
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence) Collaboration, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - John M. Starr
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,
| | - Ian J. Deary
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Joanna M. Wardlaw
- Brain Research Imaging Centre, Division of Neuroimaging Sciences, School of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence) Collaboration, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Structural and functional brain changes related to different types of physical activity across the life span. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:2268-95. [PMID: 23399048 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2012] [Revised: 12/28/2012] [Accepted: 01/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Falkai P, Malchow B, Wobrock T, Gruber O, Schmitt A, Honer WG, Pajonk FG, Sun F, Cannon TD. The effect of aerobic exercise on cortical architecture in patients with chronic schizophrenia: a randomized controlled MRI study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2013; 263:469-73. [PMID: 23161338 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-012-0383-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Via influencing brain plasticity, aerobic exercise could contribute to the treatment of schizophrenia patients. As previously shown, physical exercise increases hippocampus volume and improves short-term memory. We now investigated gray matter density and brain surface expansion in this sample using MRI-based cortical pattern matching methods. Comparing schizophrenia patients to healthy controls before and after 3 months of aerobic exercise training (cycling) plus patients playing table football yielded gray matter density increases in the right frontal and occipital cortex merely in healthy controls. However, respective exercise effects might be attenuated in chronic schizophrenia, which should be verified in a larger sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nußbaumstr 7, 80336, Munich, Germany
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25
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Mutschler I, Reinbold C, Wankerl J, Seifritz E, Ball T. Structural basis of empathy and the domain general region in the anterior insular cortex. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:177. [PMID: 23675334 PMCID: PMC3648769 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Empathy is key for healthy social functioning and individual differences in empathy have strong implications for manifold domains of social behavior. Empathy comprises of emotional and cognitive components and may also be closely linked to sensorimotor processes, which go along with the motivation and behavior to respond compassionately to another person's feelings. There is growing evidence for local plastic change in the structure of the healthy adult human brain in response to environmental demands or intrinsic factors. Here we have investigated changes in brain structure resulting from or predisposing to empathy. Structural MRI data of 101 healthy adult females was analyzed. Empathy in fictitious as well as real-life situations was assessed using a validated self-evaluation measure. Furthermore, empathy-related structural effects were also put into the context of a functional map of the anterior insular cortex (AIC) determined by activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis of previous functional imaging studies. We found that gray matter (GM) density in the left dorsal AIC correlates with empathy and that this area overlaps with the domain general region (DGR) of the anterior insula that is situated in-between functional systems involved in emotion-cognition, pain, and motor tasks as determined by our meta-analysis. Thus, we propose that this insular region where we find structural differences depending on individual empathy may play a crucial role in modulating the efficiency of neural integration underlying emotional, cognitive, and sensorimotor information which is essential for global empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Mutschler
- Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, University of Basel Basel, Switzerland ; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego (UCSD) La Jolla, California, USA
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Kimhy D, Crowley OV, McKinley PS, Burg MM, Lachman ME, Tun PA, Ryff CD, Seeman TE, Sloan RP. The association of cardiac vagal control and executive functioning--findings from the MIDUS study. J Psychiatr Res 2013; 47:628-35. [PMID: 23434176 PMCID: PMC3594003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2013.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2012] [Revised: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 01/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac vagal control (CVC), an index of parasympathetic contribution to cardiac regulation, has been linked to enhanced executive functioning (EF). However, findings to date have been based on small or unique samples. Additionally, previous studies assessed the CVC-EF link only during rest or recovery period from a cognitive challenge, but not during both states. In the present study, data on 817 socioeconomically diverse participants were obtained from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study. As part of this study, participants completed cognitive tests, including EF, along with laboratory-based measures of CVC during rest and following recovery from a cognitive challenge. Regression analyses adjusting for respiratory rate revealed no effect of CVC at rest or during recovery on a global index of EF. However, exploratory post-hoc analyses of the components of the global EF index revealed a significant association between faster vagal recovery and better attention-switching and response inhibition abilities, as indexed by faster reaction time to the mixed SGST. This association remained significant after controlling for demographic, clinical (BMI, diseases and medications altering cardiac autonomic functioning, etc.), and health behavior covariates (Beta = .148, p = .010). Our findings suggest that future studies may need to investigate the links of CVC to specific EF abilities, rather than global measures of EF. Additionally, our results highlight the importance of assessing CVC during both rest and recovery from a cognitive challenge. The authors discuss the putative neurobiological underpinning of this link, as well as suggestions for future basic and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Kimhy
- Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - OV Crowley
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - PS McKinley
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - MM Burg
- Division of General Medicine, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - ME Lachman
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
| | - PA Tun
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
| | - CD Ryff
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - TE Seeman
- Division of Geriatrics, University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - RP Sloan
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
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Raichlen DA, Polk JD. Linking brains and brawn: exercise and the evolution of human neurobiology. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20122250. [PMID: 23173208 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The hunting and gathering lifestyle adopted by human ancestors around 2 Ma required a large increase in aerobic activity. High levels of physical activity altered the shape of the human body, enabling access to new food resources (e.g. animal protein) in a changing environment. Recent experimental work provides strong evidence that both acute bouts of exercise and long-term exercise training increase the size of brain components and improve cognitive performance in humans and other taxa. However, to date, researchers have not explored the possibility that the increases in aerobic capacity and physical activity that occurred during human evolution directly influenced the human brain. Here, we hypothesize that proximate mechanisms linking physical activity and neurobiology in living species may help to explain changes in brain size and cognitive function during human evolution. We review evidence that selection acting on endurance increased baseline neurotrophin and growth factor signalling (compounds responsible for both brain growth and for metabolic regulation during exercise) in some mammals, which in turn led to increased overall brain growth and development. This hypothesis suggests that a significant portion of human neurobiology evolved due to selection acting on features unrelated to cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Raichlen
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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28
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Alosco ML, Brickman AM, Spitznagel MB, Griffith EY, Narkhede A, Raz N, Cohen R, Sweet LH, Colbert LH, Josephson R, Hughes J, Rosneck J, Gunstad J. Poorer physical fitness is associated with reduced structural brain integrity in heart failure. J Neurol Sci 2013; 328:51-7. [PMID: 23528350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2013.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2012] [Revised: 02/15/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Physical fitness is an important correlate of structural and functional integrity of the brain in healthy adults. In heart failure (HF) patients, poor physical fitness may contribute to cognitive dysfunction and we examined the unique contribution of physical fitness to brain structural integrity among patients with HF. METHODS Sixty-nine HF patients performed the Modified Mini Mental State examination (3MS) and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. All participants completed the 2-minute step test (2MST), a brief measure of physical fitness. We examined the associations between cognitive performance, physical fitness, and three indices of global brain integrity: total cortical gray matter volume, total white matter volume, and whole brain cortical thickness. RESULTS Regression analyses adjusting for demographic characteristics, medical variables (e.g., left ventricular ejection fraction), and intracranial volume revealed reduced performance on the 2MST were associated with decreased gray matter volume and thinner cortex (p<.05). Follow up analyses showed that reduced gray matter volume and decreased cortical thickness were associated with poorer 3MS scores (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS Poor physical fitness is common in HF and associated with reduced structural brain integrity. Prospective studies are needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms for the influence of physical fitness on brain health in HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Alosco
- Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.
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29
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Schütz UHW, Schmidt-Trucksäss A, Knechtle B, Machann J, Wiedelbach H, Ehrhardt M, Freund W, Gröninger S, Brunner H, Schulze I, Brambs HJ, Billich C. The TransEurope FootRace Project: longitudinal data acquisition in a cluster randomized mobile MRI observational cohort study on 44 endurance runners at a 64-stage 4,486 km transcontinental ultramarathon. BMC Med 2012; 10:78. [PMID: 22812450 PMCID: PMC3409063 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-10-78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The TransEurope FootRace 2009 (TEFR09) was one of the longest transcontinental ultramarathons with an extreme endurance physical load of running nearly 4,500 km in 64 days. The aim of this study was to assess the wide spectrum of adaptive responses in humans regarding the different tissues, organs and functional systems being exposed to such chronic physical endurance load with limited time for regeneration and resulting negative energy balance. A detailed description of the TEFR project and its implemented measuring methods in relation to the hypotheses are presented. METHODS The most important research tool was a 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner mounted on a mobile unit following the ultra runners from stage to stage each day. Forty-four study volunteers (67% of the participants) were cluster randomized into two groups for MRI measurements (22 subjects each) according to the project protocol with its different research modules: musculoskeletal system, brain and pain perception, cardiovascular system, body composition, and oxidative stress and inflammation. Complementary to the diverse daily mobile MR-measurements on different topics (muscle and joint MRI, T2*-mapping of cartilage, MR-spectroscopy of muscles, functional MRI of the brain, cardiac and vascular cine MRI, whole body MRI) other methods were also used: ice-water pain test, psychometric questionnaires, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), skinfold thickness and limb circumference measurements, daily urine samples, periodic blood samples and electrocardiograms (ECG). RESULTS Thirty volunteers (68%) reached the finish line at North Cape. The mean total race speed was 8.35 km/hour. Finishers invested 552 hours in total. The completion rate for planned MRI investigations was more than 95%: 741 MR-examinations with 2,637 MRI sequences (more than 200,000 picture data), 5,720 urine samples, 244 blood samples, 205 ECG, 1,018 BIA, 539 anthropological measurements and 150 psychological questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the feasibility of conducting a trial based centrally on mobile MR-measurements which were performed during ten weeks while crossing an entire continent. This article is the reference for contemporary result reports on the different scientific topics of the TEFR project, which may reveal additional new knowledge on the physiological and pathological processes of the functional systems on the organ, cellular and sub-cellular level at the limits of stress and strain of the human body. Please see related articles: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/76 and http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/77.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uwe H W Schütz
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Ulm, Germany.
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30
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Weinstein AM, Voss MW, Prakash RS, Chaddock L, Szabo A, White SM, Wojcicki TR, Mailey E, McAuley E, Kramer AF, Erickson KI. The association between aerobic fitness and executive function is mediated by prefrontal cortex volume. Brain Behav Immun 2012; 26:811-9. [PMID: 22172477 PMCID: PMC3321393 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2011] [Revised: 11/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is marked by a decline in cognitive function, which is often preceded by losses in gray matter volume. Fortunately, higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels are associated with an attenuation of age-related losses in gray matter volume and a reduced risk for cognitive impairment. Despite these links, we have only a rudimentary understanding of whether fitness-related increases in gray matter volume lead to elevated cognitive function. In this cross-sectional study, we examined whether the association between higher aerobic fitness levels and elevated executive function was mediated by greater gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). One hundred and forty-two older adults (mean age=66.6 years) completed structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, CRF assessments, and performed Stroop and spatial working memory (SPWM) tasks. Gray matter volume was assessed using an optimized voxel-based morphometry approach. Consistent with our predictions, higher fitness levels were associated with: (a) better performance on both the Stroop and SPWM tasks, and (b) greater gray matter volume in several regions, including the dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC). Volume of the right inferior frontal gyrus and precentral gyrus mediated the relationship between CRF and Stroop interference while a non-overlapping set of regions bilaterally in the DLPFC mediated the association between CRF and SPWM accuracy. These results suggest that specific regions of the DLPFC differentially relate to inhibition and spatial working memory. Thus, fitness may influence cognitive function by reducing brain atrophy in targeted areas in healthy older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Weinstein
- Department of Psychology and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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31
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Erickson KI, Weinstein AM, Sutton BP, Prakash RS, Voss MW, Chaddock L, Szabo AN, Mailey EL, White SM, Wojcicki TR, McAuley E, Kramer AF. Beyond vascularization: aerobic fitness is associated with N-acetylaspartate and working memory. Brain Behav 2012; 2:32-41. [PMID: 22574272 PMCID: PMC3343297 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 11/21/2011] [Accepted: 11/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerobic exercise is a promising form of prevention for cognitive decline; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which exercise and fitness impacts the human brain. Several studies have postulated that increased regional brain volume and function are associated with aerobic fitness because of increased vascularization rather than increased neural tissue per se. We tested this position by examining the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels in the right frontal cortex using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. NAA is a nervous system specific metabolite found predominantly in cell bodies of neurons. We reasoned that if aerobic fitness was predominantly influencing the vasculature of the brain, then NAA levels should not vary as a function of aerobic fitness. However, if aerobic fitness influences the number or viability of neurons, then higher aerobic fitness levels might be associated with greater concentrations of NAA. We examined NAA levels, aerobic fitness, and cognitive performance in 137 older adults without cognitive impairment. Consistent with the latter hypothesis, we found that higher aerobic fitness levels offset an age-related decline in NAA. Furthermore, NAA mediated an association between fitness and backward digit span performance, suggesting that neuronal viability as measured by NAA is important in understanding fitness-related cognitive enhancement. Since NAA is found exclusively in neural tissue, our results indicate that the effect of fitness on the human brain extends beyond vascularization; aerobic fitness is associated with neuronal viability in the frontal cortex of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk I. Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Andrea M. Weinstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Bradley P. Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | | | - Michelle W. Voss
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Laura Chaddock
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Amanda N. Szabo
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Emily L. Mailey
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Siobhan M. White
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Thomas R. Wojcicki
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Edward McAuley
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
| | - Arthur F. Kramer
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
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32
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On the emerging role of neuroimaging in determining functional and structural brain integrity induced by physical exercise: impact for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. EPMA J 2011. [PMID: 23199163 PMCID: PMC3405390 DOI: 10.1007/s13167-011-0093-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Physical exercise contributes to maintenance of physical health. There is growing evidence, both from animal work and from human epidemiological and longitudinal intervention studies, that physical exercise also impacts directly on the brain, mediating structural integrity and improving cognitive functioning. Modern neuroimaging approaches, in particular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based techniques provide a powerful means to non-invasively study the effects of physical exercise on human brain structure and function. Employing these techniques in exercise sciences will allow determining central mechanisms of body-brain interactions, both, in health and disease states. It is expected that this may propagate individualized exercise training regimens for disease prevention and, ultimately, adapted applications for prevention and slowing down disease progression in neurodegenerative conditions. At current, however, these imaging techniques are largely based on inter-subject averaging and their impact for personalized medicine with the goal of promoting preventive and personalized healthcare remains to be determined.
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Ho AJ, Raji CA, Becker JT, Lopez OL, Kuller LH, Hua X, Dinov ID, Stein JL, Rosano C, Toga AW, Thompson PM. The effects of physical activity, education, and body mass index on the aging brain. Hum Brain Mapp 2010; 32:1371-82. [PMID: 20715081 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2010] [Revised: 04/21/2010] [Accepted: 05/25/2010] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal human aging is accompanied by progressive brain tissue loss and cognitive decline; however, several factors are thought to influence brain aging. We applied tensor-based morphometry to high-resolution brain MRI scans to determine whether educational level or physical activity was associated with brain tissue volumes in the elderly, particularly in regions susceptible to age-related atrophy. We mapped the 3D profile of brain volume differences in 226 healthy elderly subjects (130F/96M; 77.9 ± 3.6 SD years) from the Cardiovascular Health Study-Cognition Study. Statistical maps revealed the 3D profile of brain regions whose volumes were associated with educational level and physical activity (based on leisure-time energy expenditure). After controlling for age, sex, and physical activity, higher educational levels were associated with ~2-3% greater tissue volumes, on average, in the temporal lobe gray matter. After controlling for age, sex, and education, greater physical activity was associated with ~2-2.5% greater average tissue volumes in the white matter of the corona radiata extending into the parietal-occipital junction. Body mass index (BMI) was highly correlated with both education and physical activity, so we examined BMI as a contributing factor by including physical activity, education, and BMI in the same model; only BMI effects remained significant. This is one of the largest MRI studies of factors influencing structural brain aging, and BMI may be a key factor explaining the observed relationship between education, physical activity, and brain structure. Independent contributions to brain structure could not be teased apart as all these factors were highly correlated with one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- April J Ho
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-7332, USA
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34
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Zhang J, Yan X, Shi J, Gong Q, Weng X, Liu Y. Structural modifications of the brain in acclimatization to high-altitude. PLoS One 2010; 5:e11449. [PMID: 20625426 PMCID: PMC2897842 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2010] [Accepted: 06/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive changes in respiratory and cardiovascular responses at high altitude (HA) have been well clarified. However, the central mechanisms underlying HA acclimatization remain unclear. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with fractional anisotropy (FA) calculation, we investigated 28 Han immigrant residents (17–22 yr) born and raised at HA of 2616–4200 m in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau for at least 17 years and who currently attended college at sea-level (SL). Their family migrated from SL to HA 2–3 generations ago and has resided at HA ever since. Control subjects were matched SL residents. HA residents (vs. SL) showed decreased grey matter volume in the bilateral anterior insula, right anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral prefrontal cortex, left precentral cortex, and right lingual cortex. HA residents (vs. SL) had significantly higher FA mainly in the bilateral anterior limb of internal capsule, bilateral superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum, bilateral superior corona radiata, bilateral anterior external capsule, right posterior cingulum, and right corticospinal tract. Higher FA values in those regions were associated with decreased or unchanged radial diffusivity coinciding with no change of longitudinal diffusivity in HA vs. SL group. Conversely, HA residents had lower FA in the left optic radiation and left superior longitudinal fasciculus. Our data demonstrates that HA acclimatization is associated with brain structural modifications, including the loss of regional cortical grey matter accompanied by changes in the white matter, which may underlie the physiological adaptation of residents at HA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Zhang
- Laboratory for Higher Brain Function, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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35
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Yan X, Zhang J, Shi J, Gong Q, Weng X. Cerebral and functional adaptation with chronic hypoxia exposure: a multi-modal MRI study. Brain Res 2010; 1348:21-9. [PMID: 20599837 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2010] [Revised: 05/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The current study obtained multi-modal MRI data from 28 immigrant high altitude (HA) young adults who were born and grew up at Qinghai-Tibetan plateau matched with 28 matched sea level (SL) controls. We compared their regional gray matter volumes (VBM) and white matter quality (DAI FA values) as well as resting state brain activity (Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) of BOLD-fMRI). We found that HA residents showed decreased gray matter volume at bilateral anterior insula, bilateral prefrontal cortex, the left precentral, the left cingulate and the right lingual cortex; accompanied by changed FA and ReHo values in relevant and other regions. The resting state activity at the hippocampus and the right insula were increasing with SL relocation. The HA subjects performed worse on a series of working memory tasks, with the ReHo values of several regions as significant predictors of their performance. This study demonstrated the cerebral and functional modifications with chronic high altitude hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodan Yan
- Laboratory for Higher Brain Function, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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