Abstract
High-intensity exercise has enhanced motor learning in healthy young adults. Anodal-transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) may optimize these effects. This study aimed to determine the effects of a short-term high-intensity interval exercise intervention either with or without a-tDCS on the learning and retention of a novel motor task in middle-aged adults. Forty-two healthy middle-aged adults (age = 44.6 ± 6.3, female = 76%) were randomized into three groups: exercise and active a-tDCS, exercise and sham a-tDCS, and a non-exercise and sham a-tDCS control. Participants completed a baseline testing session, followed by three intervention sessions 48-h apart. The exercise groups completed 20-min of high-intensity exercise followed by a novel sequential visual isometric pinch task (SVIPT) while receiving 20-min of 1.5 mA a-tDCS, or sham tDCS. The control group completed 20-min of reading before receiving sham a-tDCS during the SVIPT. Learning was assessed by skill change within and between intervention sessions. Participants returned 5–7 days after the final intervention session and performed the SVIPT task to assess retention. All three groups showed evidence of learning on the SVIPT task. Neither group displayed enhanced overall learning or retention when compared to the control group. High-intensity exercise with or without a-tDCS did not improve learning or retention of a novel motor task in middle-aged adults. The methodological framework provides direction for future research to investigate the potential of differing exercise intensity effects on learning and retention.
Highlights
Aging is associated with declines in motor function and control which can cause increased cognitive effort in functional tasks (Seidler et al, 2010), as well as difficulty maintaining employability and safety in the aging workforce (Kowalski-Trakofler et al, 2005)
This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that a short-term (3 day) high-intensity interval exercise intervention would enhance motor-skill learning and retention over multiple days compared to no exercise in middle-aged adults, and that the benefits would be further enhanced through combination with Anodaltranscranial direct current stimulation (a-transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)) applied during the completion of the motor learning task
Due to a technical impedance error during the application of the a-tDCS, one participant from the exercise and active a-tDCS group was removed from the analysis
Summary
Aging is associated with declines in motor function and control which can cause increased cognitive effort in functional tasks (Seidler et al, 2010), as well as difficulty maintaining employability and safety in the aging workforce (Kowalski-Trakofler et al, 2005). High-intensity exercise performed immediately prior to task practice (Skriver et al, 2014), and following task practice (Roig et al, 2012) resulted in higher retention at 7 days compared to non-exercise control groups. This has not yet been investigated in middle-aged adults (35–55 years). High-intensity exercise may contribute to a cascade of neuromodulators beneficial to increased neuronal plasticity and long-term potentiation (Loprinzi et al, 2019). A recent meta-analysis of 22 studies investigating the effects of acute cardiovascular exercise on motor learning and memory task performance (Wanner et al, 2020), concluded that high intensity exercise could be beneficial to motor memory consolidation
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