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The Journal of Physiology - 2023 - Curtin - Ageing attenuates exercise‐enhanced motor cortical plasticity2.94 MB
Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Ageing attenuates exercise‐enhanced motor cortical plasticity
The Journal of Physiology, Vol.601(24), pp.5733-5750
2023
Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection
Abstract
Cardiorespiratory exercise is known to modulate motor cortical plasticity in young adults, but the influence of ageing on this relationship is unknown. Here, we compared the effects of a single session of cardiorespiratory exercise on motor cortical plasticity in young and older adults. We acquired measures of cortical excitatory and inhibitory activity of the primary motor cortex using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) from 20 young (mean ± SD = 25.30 ± 4.00 years, 14 females) and 20 older (mean ± SD = 64.10 ± 6.50 years, 11 females) healthy adults. Single‐ and paired‐pulse TMS measurements were collected before and after a 20 min bout of high‐intensity interval cycling exercise or an equivalent period of rest, and again after intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). In both young ( P = 0.027, Cohen's d = 0.87) and older adults ( P = 0.006, Cohen's d = 0.85), there was an increase in glutamatergic excitation and a reduction in GABAergic inhibition from pre‐ to postexercise. However, in contrast to younger adults, older adults showed an attenuated plasticity response to iTBS following exercise ( P = 0.011, Cohen's d = 0.85). These results demonstrate an age‐dependent decline in cortical plasticity and indicate that a preceding bout of high‐intensity interval exercise might be less effective for enhancing primary motor cortex plasticity in older adults. Our findings align with the hypothesis that the capacity for cortical plasticity is altered in older age. image Key points Exercise enhances motor cortical plasticity in young adults, but how ageing influences this effect is unknown. Here, we compared primary motor cortical plasticity responses in young and older adults before and after a bout of high‐intensity interval exercise and again after a plasticity‐inducing protocol, intermittent theta burst stimulation. In both young and older adults, exercise led to an increase in glutamatergic excitation and a reduction in GABAergic inhibition. Our key result was that older adults showed an attenuated plasticity response to theta burst stimulation following exercise, relative to younger adults. Our findings demonstrate an age‐dependent decline in exercise‐enhanced cortical plasticity and indicate that a preceding bout of high‐intensity interval exercise might be less effective for enhancing primary motor cortex plasticity in older adults.
Details
- Title
- Ageing attenuates exercise‐enhanced motor cortical plasticity
- Authors
- Dylan Curtin (Author) - Monash UniversityClaire J. Cadwallader (Author) - Monash UniversityEleanor M. Taylor (Author) - Monash UniversitySophie C. Andrews (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson InstituteJulie C. Stout (Author) - Monash UniversityJoshua J. Hendrikse (Author) - Monash UniversityTrevor T.‐J. Chong (Author) - Monash UniversityJames P. Coxon (Corresponding Author) - Monash University
- Publication details
- The Journal of Physiology, Vol.601(24), pp.5733-5750
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Date published
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1113/JP285243
- ISSN
- 1469-7793; 0022-3751
- Copyright note
- © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
- Grants
- Organisation Unit
- Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99977374702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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