Abstract
Numerous studies indicated the physical benefits of regular exercise, but the neurophysiological mechanisms of regular exercise in elders were less investigated. We aimed to compare changes in brain activity during exercise in elderly people and in young adults with and without regular exercise habits. A total of 36 healthy young adults (M/F:18/18) and 35 healthy elderly adults (M/F:20/15) participated in this study. According to exercise habits, each age group were classified into regular and occasional exerciser groups. ECG, EEG, and EMG signals were recorded using V-AMP with a 1-kHz sampling rate. The participants were instructed to perform three 5-min bicycle rides with different exercise loads. The EEG spectral power of elders who exercised regularly revealed the strongest positive correlation with their exercise intensity by using Pearson correlation analysis. The results demonstrate that exercise-induced significant cortical activation in the elderly participants who exercised regularly, and most of the p-values are less than 0.001. No significant correlation was observed between spectral power and exercise intensity in the elders who exercised occasionally. The young participants who exercised regularly had greater cardiac and neurobiological efficiency. Our results may provide a new exercise therapy reference for adult groups with different exercise habits, especially for the elders.
Highlights
Regular physical exercise is associated with health benefits and is a crucial element of preventive strategies for promoting health
The elderly participants as well as the young participants were subdivided into 2 groups according to the time spent on exercise per week; participants who exercised for a total time of more than 3 h every week were considered as regularly exercising individuals, and those exercised for a total time of less than 3 h every week were regarded as occasionally exercising individuals [12]
This study revealed the average maximum heart rate ratio (AMHRR) to be a suitable indicator of exercise intensity and that the physiological indicators of ECG and EEG in elderly people are different from those in young people because of aging
Summary
Regular physical exercise is associated with health benefits and is a crucial element of preventive strategies for promoting health. Cycling is a common exercise, and daily cycling can enable a large proportion of the population to meet their recommended physical activity levels [2]. Several studies have reported that cycle ergometers are suitable for measuring physiological signals emitted during exercise. Studies on cycling exercise have reported that such exercise can induce specific changes in cortical activity. These changes are measured through various methods, including electroencephalography (EEG), the aim of which is to study the modulation of brain activity associated with performing cycling tasks [3,4,5,6,7]
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