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Balazova Z, Marecek R, Novakova L, Nemcova-Elfmarkova N, Kropacova S, Brabenec L, Grmela R, Vaculíková P, Svobodova L, Rektorova I. Dance Intervention Impact on Brain Plasticity: A Randomized 6-Month fMRI Study in Non-expert Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:724064. [PMID: 34776925 PMCID: PMC8579817 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.724064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Dance is a complex activity combining physical exercise with cognitive, social, and artistic stimulation. Objectives: We aimed to assess the effects of dance intervention (DI) on intra and inter-network resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) and its association to cognitive changes in a group of non-demented elderly participants. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: DI and life as usual (LAU). Six-month-long DI consisted of supervised 60 min lessons three times per week. Resting-state fMRI data were processed using independent component analysis to evaluate the intra and inter-network connectivity of large-scale brain networks. Interaction between group (DI, LAU) and visit (baseline, follow-up) was assessed using ANOVA, and DI-induced changes in rs-FC were correlated with cognitive outcomes. Results: Data were analyzed in 68 participants (DI; n = 36 and LAU; n = 32). A significant behavioral effect was found in the attention domain, with Z scores increasing in the DI group and decreasing in the LAU group (p = 0.017). The DI as compared to LAU led to a significant rs-FC increase of the default mode network (DMN) and specific inter-network pairings, including insulo-opercular and right frontoparietal/frontoparietal control networks (p = 0.019 and p = 0.023), visual and language/DMN networks (p = 0.012 and p = 0.015), and cerebellar and visual/language networks (p = 0.015 and p = 0.003). The crosstalk of the insulo-opercular and right frontoparietal networks were associated with attention/executive domain Z-scores (R = 0.401, p = 0.015, and R = 0.412, p = 0.012). Conclusion: The DI led to intervention-specific complex brain plasticity changes that were of cognitive relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Balazova
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Radek Marecek
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - L'ubomíra Novakova
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Nela Nemcova-Elfmarkova
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Sylvie Kropacova
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Luboš Brabenec
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Roman Grmela
- Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Pavlína Vaculíková
- Department of Gymnastics and Combatives, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Lenka Svobodova
- Department of Gymnastics and Combatives, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Irena Rektorova
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
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Rektorova I, Klobusiakova P, Balazova Z, Kropacova S, Sejnoha Minsterova A, Grmela R, Skotakova A, Rektor I. Brain structure changes in nondemented seniors after six-month dance-exercise intervention. Acta Neurol Scand 2020; 141:90-97. [PMID: 31613387 DOI: 10.1111/ane.13181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate effects of a six-month intensive dance-exercise intervention (DI) on cognition and brain structure in a mixed group of healthy seniors and people with mild cognitive impairment. METHODS Subjects (aged ˃ 60 years with no dementia or depression) were randomly assigned to either a DI group or a life as usual (LAU) group. Detailed neuropsychological testing, measures of physical fitness and brain MRI encompassing T1 structural and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed at baseline and after 6 months. We assessed changes in cortical thickness and DTI parameters derived from tract-based spatial statistics. RESULTS Altogether 62 individuals (n = 31 in the DI group) completed the protocol. The groups were matched for their demographic and clinical variables. After 6 months, we found significant cortical thickening in the right inferior temporal, fusiform and lateral occipital regions in the dancers compared to controls. Significant increases of radial and mean diffusivity were observed in various white matter tracts in the dancers; however, no differences were observed between the DI and LAU groups. The DI group as compared to the LAU group showed subtle improvements in executive functions. CONCLUSIONS We observed DI-induced improvement in executive functions and increases of cortical thickness in the lateral occipitotemporal cortex which is engaged in action observation, visuomotor integration and action imitation, that is activities that are all important for motor learning and executing skilled movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena Rektorova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University (CEITEC MU) Brno Czech Republic
- First Department of Neurology St. Anne's University Hospital Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Patricia Klobusiakova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University (CEITEC MU) Brno Czech Republic
- Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Balazova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University (CEITEC MU) Brno Czech Republic
- Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Sylvie Kropacova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University (CEITEC MU) Brno Czech Republic
| | - Alzbeta Sejnoha Minsterova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University (CEITEC MU) Brno Czech Republic
- Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Roman Grmela
- Department of Gymnastics and Combatives Faculty of Sports Studies Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Alena Skotakova
- Department of Gymnastics and Combatives Faculty of Sports Studies Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Rektor
- First Department of Neurology St. Anne's University Hospital Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic
- Multimodal and Functional Neuroimaging Research Group Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University (CEITEC MU) Brno Czech Republic
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Kropacova S, Mitterova K, Klobusiakova P, Brabenec L, Anderkova L, Nemcova-Elfmarkova N, Balazova Z, Rektor I, Grmela R, Svobodová L, Vaculikova P, Rektorova I. Cognitive effects of dance-movement intervention in a mixed group of seniors are not dependent on hippocampal atrophy. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2019; 126:1455-1463. [PMID: 31452049 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-019-02068-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dance-movement intervention (DMI) offers multi-component stimulation of cognitive functions, and it may ameliorate cognitive deficits in the elderly. We investigated the effects of intensive DMI on the cognitive performances of healthy seniors (HS) and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In addition, we evaluated whether the baseline MRI hippocampus-to-cortex volume (HV:CTV) ratio (i.e., a marker of a typical AD-specific brain atrophy and of distribution of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain) has any impact on the DMI-induced cognitive changes. The research cohort consisted of 99 subjects who were randomly assigned (in a 1:1 ratio) to a DMI group or to a control (life-as-usual) group. The DMI group consisted of 49 subjects with an average age of 69.16 years (SD = 5.36), of which 34 were HS (69.4%) and 15 had MCI (30.6%). The control group consisted of 50 subjects aged 68.37 years (SD = 6.10), of which 31 were HC (62%) and 19 (38%) had MCI. The DMI group underwent a 6-month intervention, which consisted of 60 lessons supervised by a qualified instructor. Statistical analysis yielded a significant improvement of the figural fluency task as measured by the five-point test in the DMI group as compared to the control group [t (97) = 2.72; p = 0.008]. The baseline HV:CTV ratio was not associated with cognitive changes on that task or with changes in any cognitive domain's Z scores. We observed DMI-induced effect on the test evaluating executive functions across the spectrum of HS and MCI, which was not dependent on the magnitude of AD-related brain pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Kropacova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Psychology Department, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Arne Nováka 1, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristina Mitterova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Patricia Klobusiakova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lubos Brabenec
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lubomira Anderkova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nela Nemcova-Elfmarkova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Balazova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Rektor
- Multimodal and Functional Imaging Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Pekařská 664/53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Grmela
- Department of Health Promotion, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Svobodová
- Department of Gymnastics and Combatives, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlina Vaculikova
- Department of Gymnastics and Combatives, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Irena Rektorova
- Applied Neuroscience Research Group, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic. .,First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Pekařská 664/53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic.
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