title: A single bout of high-intensity aerobic exercise facilitates response to paired associative stimulation and promotes sequence-specific implicit motor learning.
abstract: The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the impact of a single bout of high-intensity aerobic exercise on 1) long-term potentiation (LTP)-like neuroplasticity via response to paired associative stimulation (PAS) and 2) the temporal and spatial components of sequence-specific implicit motor learning. Additionally, relationships between exercise-induced increases in systemic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and response to PAS and motor learning were evaluated. Sixteen young healthy participants completed six experimental sessions, including the following: 1) rest followed by PAS; 2) aerobic exercise followed by PAS; 3) rest followed by practice of a continuous tracking (CT) task and 4) a no-exercise 24-h retention test; and 5) aerobic exercise followed by CT task practice and 6) a no-exercise 24-h retention test. The CT task included an embedded repeated sequence allowing for evaluation of sequence-specific implicit learning. Slope of motor-evoked potential recruitment curves generated with transcranial magnetic stimulation showed larger increases when PAS was preceded by aerobic exercise (59.8% increase) compared with rest (14.2% increase, P = 0.02). Time lag of CT task performance on the repeated sequence improved under the aerobic exercise condition from early (-100.8 ms) to late practice (-75.2 ms, P < 0.001) and was maintained at retention (-79.2 ms, P = 0.004) but did not change under the rest condition (P > 0.16). Systemic BDNF increased on average by 3.4-fold following aerobic exercise (P = 0.003), but the changes did not relate to neurophysiological or behavioral measures (P > 0.42). These results indicate that a single bout of high-intensity aerobic exercise can prime LTP-like neuroplasticity and promote sequence-specific implicit motor learning.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada;
authors.forename: Cameron S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada;
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Snow
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada;
authors.forename: Kristin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada;
authors.forename: Colin J D
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada lara.boyd@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Lara A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human
keywords: aerobic exercise; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; motor learning; neuroplasticity