The Effects of Taekwondo Training on Peripheral Neuroplasticity-Related Growth Factors, Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity, and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Su-Youn Cho,Wi-Young So,Hee-Tae Roh

doi:10.3390/ijerph14050454

Abstract

Although regular Taekwondo (TKD) training has been reported to be effective for improving cognitive function in children, the mechanism underlying this improvement remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to observe changes in neuroplasticity-related growth factors in the blood, assess cerebral blood flow velocity, and verify the resulting changes in children’s cognitive function after TKD training. Thirty healthy elementary school students were randomly assigned to control (n = 15) and TKD (n = 15) groups. The TKD training was conducted for 60 min at a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 11–15, 5 times per week, for 16 weeks. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels were measured by blood sampling before and after the training, and the cerebral blood flow velocities (peak systolic [MCAs], end diastolic [MCAd], mean cerebral blood flow velocities [MCAm], and pulsatility index [PI]) of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) were measured using Doppler ultrasonography. For cognitive function assessment, Stroop Color and Word Tests (Word, Color, and Color-Word) were administered along with other measurements. The serum BDNF, VEGF, and IGF-1 levels and the Color-Word test scores among the sub-factors of the Stroop Color and Word Test scores were significantly higher in the TKD group after the intervention (p < 0.05). On the other hand, no statistically significant differences were found in any factors related to cerebral blood flow velocities, or in the Word test and Color test scores (p > 0.05). Thus, 16-week TKD training did not significantly affect cerebral blood flow velocities, but the training may have been effective in increasing children’s cognitive function by inducing an increase in the levels of neuroplasticity-related growth factors.

Highlights

The mechanisms by which exercise increases nerve cell production are not clearly understood, but an increase in nerve growth factors and neurotransmitters during exercise has been suggested to play an important role
Previous studies have reported that aerobic exercises increase the expression of growth factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and such growth factors promote the production of neurons [1]
This suggests that TKD training can induce an increase in neurotrophic factors and growth factors similar to aerobic exercise, suggesting that enhancement of aerobic fitness plays a major role in this process

Summary

Introduction

The mechanisms by which exercise increases nerve cell production are not clearly understood, but an increase in nerve growth factors and neurotransmitters during exercise has been suggested to play an important role. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is well known to show an exercise-induced increase in expression and promote neuronal cell formation [1]. BDNF is involved in promoting the survival of progenitor cells that have the potential to differentiate into neurons or glia, as well as in differentiating these progenitor cells into neurons [2]. Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, show increased levels after exercise and have been reported to induce the generation of. Public Health 2017, 14, 454; doi:10.3390/ijerph14050454 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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