Aging-related cognitive decline and cognitive impairment greatly impacts older adults' daily life. The worldwide ageing of the population and associated wave of dementia urgently calls for prevention ...strategies to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Physical activity (PA) is known to improve cognitive function at older age through processes of neuroplasticity. Yet, emerging studies suggest that larger cognitive gains may be induced when PA interventions are combined with cognitive activity (CA). This meta-analysis evaluates these potential synergistic effects by comparing cognitive effects following combined PA + CA interventions to PA interventions (PA only), CA interventions (CA only) and control groups.
Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Sportdiscus were searched for English peer-reviewed papers until April 2018. Data were extracted on cognition and factors potentially influencing the cognitive effects: mode of PA + CA combination (sequential or simultaneous), session frequency and duration, intervention length and study quality. Differences between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments were also explored.
Forty-one studies were included. Relative to the control group, combined PA + CA intervention showed significantly larger gains in cognition (g = 0.316; 95% CI 0.188-0.443; p < .001). Studies that compared combined PA + CA with PA only, showed small but significantly greater cognitive improvement in favor of combined interventions (g = 0.160; 95% CI 0.041-0.279; p = .008). No significant difference was found between combined PA + CA and CA only interventions. Furthermore, cognitive effects tended to be more pronounced for studies using simultaneous designs (g = 0.385; 95%CI 0.214-0.555; p < .001) versus sequential designs (g = 0.114; 95%CI -0.102- 0.331, p = .301). Effects were not moderated by session frequency, session duration, intervention length or study quality. Also, no differences in effects were found between older adults with and without mild cognitive impairments.
Findings of the current meta-analysis suggest that PA programs for older adults could integrate challenging cognitive exercises to improve cognitive health. Combined PA + CA programs should be promoted as a modality for preventing as well as treating cognitive decline in older adults. Sufficient cognitive challenge seems more important to obtain cognitive effects than high doses of intervention sessions.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Better physical functioning in the elderly may be associated with higher physical activity levels. Since older adults spend a substantial part of the day in their residential neighborhood, the ...neighborhood physical environment may moderate associations between functioning and older adults' physical activity. The present study investigated the moderating role of the objective and perceived physical environment on associations between Belgian older adults' physical functioning and transport walking, recreational walking, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Data from 438 older adults were included. Objective physical functioning was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Potential moderators included objective neighborhood walkability and perceptions of land use mix diversity, access to recreational facilities, access to services, street connectivity, physical barriers for walking, aesthetics, crime-related safety, traffic speeding-related safety, and walking infrastructure. Transport and recreational walking were self-reported, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed through accelerometers. Multi-level regression analyses were conducted using MLwiN to examine two-way interactions between functioning and the environment on both walking outcomes. Based on a previous study where environment x neighborhood income associations were found for Belgian older adults' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, three-way functioning x environment x income interactions were examined for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Objectively-measured walkability moderated the association between functioning and transport walking; this positive association was only present in high-walkable neighborhoods. Moreover, a three-way interaction was observed for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Only in high-income, high-walkable neighborhoods, there was a positive association between functioning and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. No functioning x walkability interactions were observed for recreational walking, and none of the perceived environmental variables moderated the positive association between physical functioning and the physical activity outcomes.
For older adults with better physical functioning, living in a high-walkable neighborhood could be beneficial to engage in more transport walking. Living in high-income, high-walkable neighborhoods and having better functioning might also be beneficial for more engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This might suggest a protective role of neighborhood walkability for preventing declining physical functioning and consequently decreasing physical activity levels in older adults. However, given the cross-sectional design of the present study, this suggestion needs to be confirmed through longitudinal assessment investigating over-time changes in the observed associations.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Implicit motor sequence learning refers to an important human ability to acquire new motor skills through the repeated performance of a motor sequence. This learning process is characterized by slow, ...incremental gains of motor performance. The present fMRI study was developed to better delineate the areas supporting these temporal dynamics of learning. By using the serial color matching paradigm, our study focused on the motor level of sequence learning and tracked the time course of learning-related neural changes. Imaging results showed a significant contribution of the left anterior hippocampus in an early sequence acquisition stage (first scanning session) as well as during a later stage with stabilized learning effects (second scanning session). Hippocampal activation significantly correlated with the behavioral learning process and was affected by a change of the motor sequence. These results suggest a strong involvement of the hippocampus in implicit motor sequence learning. On the other hand, a very extensive and bilateral neural network of parietal, temporal and frontal cortical areas (including SMA, pre-SMA) together with parts of the cerebellum and striatum were found to play a role during random visuo-motor task performance.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, ODKLJ, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The aim was to investigate which individual, psychosocial and physical neighborhood environmental factors associate with children's switch to or maintenance of active/passive transport to school and ...to leisure time destinations during the transition from primary to secondary school.
Children (n = 313) filled out a questionnaire in the last year of primary school and 2 years later to assess socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported transport. One of their parents completed a questionnaire to assess parental perceptions of psychosocial and physical neighborhood environmental factors.
The increase of the home-school distance was significantly associated with children's switch to or maintenance of passive transport to school compared to a switch to (OR = 0.81; p = 0.03) and maintenance (OR = 0.87; p = 0.03) of active transport to school. Low SES was associated with children's switch to active transport to school compared to maintenance of active transport (OR = 3.67; p = 0.07). For transport to leisure time destinations, other factors such as parental perceived neighborhood safety from traffic and crime (OR = 2.78; p = 0.004), a positive social norm (OR = 1.49; p = 0.08), positive attitudes (OR = 1.39; p = 0.08) (i.e. more benefits, less barriers) towards their children's physical activity and poor walking/cycling facilities in the neighborhood (OR = 0.70; p = 0.06) were associated with children's maintenance of active transport to leisure time destinations compared to a switch to or maintenance of passive transport.
This longitudinal study can give directions for interventions promoting children's active transport during the transition to secondary school. It is necessary to promote different possibilities at primary school for children to use active transport when going to secondary school. Walking/cycling a part of the home-school trip can be a possible solution for children who will be living at non-feasible distances from secondary school. Providing safe neighborhoods, combined with programs for parents stimulating a positive social norm and positive attitudes towards physical activity during primary school, can be effective.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The study aimed to investigate if psychosocial factors moderate the association between objective walkability and different domains of children's physical activity (PA). A second aim of the study was ...to investigate the direct associations between psychosocial factors and children's PA. Based on previous literature, it was hypothesized that walkability would be more strongly related to PA among children with negative psychosocial profiles.
Data were collected between December 2011 and May 2013 as part of the Belgian Environmental Physical Activity Study in children (BEPAS-child). In total, data from 494 children and one of their parents were included in the study. Children wore an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days and together with one of their parents, they completed the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire. Parents filled out a questionnaire concerning their child's psychosocial factors toward PA (i.e. parental attitude toward their child's PA, parental social norm toward their child's PA, parental support, friend support, children's self-efficacy, and perceived benefits and barriers toward sports and PA). Neighborhood walkability was calculated using geographical information systems (GIS). Multilevel cross-classified analyses were conducted.
Of the 42 investigated interactions between neighborhood walkability and psychosocial factors in relation to PA among children, only 7 significant interactions were found of which 3 were only significant among children from low-income neighborhoods. Parental support and self-efficacy were positive correlates of children's PA in high- and low-income neighborhoods independent of the level of walkability, but effect sizes were small.
The hypothesis that walkability would be more strongly related to PA among children with negative psychosocial profiles could not be confirmed and in general, psychosocial factors and objective walkability did not interact in relation to children's PA. Focusing on parental support and self-efficacy towards PA can possibly cause small effects on children's PA in both high- and low-walkable neighborhoods, as well as in high- and low-income neighborhoods.
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Taking the brakes off the learning curve Gheysen, Freja; Lasne, Gabriel; Pélégrini‐Issac, Mélanie ...
Human brain mapping,
March 2017, Volume:
38, Issue:
3
Journal Article
It has been proposed that physical exercise can help improve upper limb functions in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients; yet evidence for this hypothesis is limited.
To assess the effects of aerobic ...exercise training (AET) on general upper limb functions in sedentary people with PD and healthy adults (HA).
Two groups, 19 PD patients (Hoehn & Yahr ≤ 2) and 20 HA, matched on age and sedentary level, followed a 3-month stationary bicycle AET regimen. We used the kinematic theory framework to characterize and quantify the different motor control commands involved in performing simple upper-limb movements as drawing lines. Repeated measures ANCOVA models were used to assess the effect of AET in each group, as well as the difference between groups following the training regimen.
At baseline, PD individuals had a larger antagonist response, a longer elapsed time between the visual stimulus and the end of the movement, and a longer time of displacement of the stylus than the HA. Following the 12-week AET, PD participants showed significant decreases of the agonist and antagonist commands, as well as the antagonist response spread. A significant group
session interaction effect was observed for the agonist command and the response spread of the antagonist command, suggesting a significant change for these two parameters only in PD patients following the AET. Among the differences observed at baseline, only the difference for the time of movement remained after AET.
A 3-month AET has a significant positive impact on the capacity to draw lines in a more efficiency way, in PD patients, indicating an improvement in the upper limb motor function.
Predictive timing refers to the anticipation and precise timing of planned motor responses. This study was performed to investigate children’s predictive response timing abilities while accounting ...for confounding age-related effects of motor speed. Indices of predictive timing were evaluated for their contributions in motor skill proficiency as well. Eighty typically developing children in 4 age groups (5–6, 7–8, 9–10 and 11–12years) performed a visuomotor reaction time (RT) test. Differences in speed and anticipatory responding at regularly relative to irregularly paced stimuli were evaluated as indices of predictive timing. Also, explicit timing and motor tests (M-ABC-2, VMI tracing, and KTK jumping) were administered. Significant faster responding for regularly versus irregularly paced stimuli was found from the ages of 9–10years on. Better anticipatory responding behavior for regular in contrast with irregular stimuli was found to be present already at 7–8years. Overall, predictive timing abilities increased across the 4 age groups. Also, inter-individual differences in the speed indices of predictive timing contributed to predicting VMI tracing and KTK jumping outcomes when controlling for age and overall motor response speed. In conclusion, predictive motor timing abilities increase during age 5 to 12 and correlate with motor skill performance.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
▶ General motor task learning was found to be comparable between DCD and TD children. ▶ The DCD group showed impaired motor sequence learning abilities. ▶ Sequence learning deficits of DCD children ...can be related to poor motor planning.
The defining feature of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is the marked impairment in the development of motor coordination (DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association, 2000). In the current study, we focused on one core aspect of motor coordination: learning to correctly sequence movements. We investigated the procedural, visuo-motor sequence learning abilities of 18 children with DCD and 20 matched typically developing (TD) children, by means of the serial reaction time (SRT) task. Reaction time measurements yielded two important findings. Overall, DCD children demonstrated general learning of visuo-motor task demands comparable to that of TD children but failed to learn the visuo-motor sequence. Interestingly, a sequence recall test, administered after the SRT task, indicated some awareness of the repeating sequence pattern. This suggests that the sequence learning problems of DCD children might be located at the stage of motor planning rather than sequence acquisition.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
► Predictive timing based on RT performance was studied in DCD children using fMRI. ► DCD children had only a limited RT advantage at predictive vs. unpredictive ISIs. ► Unlike controls, DCD children ...showed equal activity in response to both ISI types. ► Controls exhibited less IFG and DLPFC activity at predictive vs. unpredictive ISIs. ► DCD children require extra processing due to dysfunctional predictive encoding.
A dysfunction in predictive motor timing is put forward to underlie DCD-related motor problems. Predictive timing allows for the pre-selection of motor programmes (except ‘program’ in computers) in order to decrease processing load and facilitate reactions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigated the neural correlates of motor timing in DCD (n=17) and typically developing children (n=17). The task involved motor responses to sequences of visual stimuli with predictive or unpredictive interstimulus intervals (ISIs). DCD children responded with a smaller reaction time (RT) advantage to predictive ISIs compared to typically developing children. Typically developing children exhibited higher activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for responses at unpredictive as opposed to predictive ISIs, whereas activations in DCD children were non-differentiable. Moreover, DCD children showed less activation than typically developing children in the right DLPFC, the left posterior cerebellum (crus I) and the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) for this contrast. Notably, activation in the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) positively correlated with RT as an indicator of processing load in both groups. These data indicate that motor performance in DCD children requires extra processing demands due to impaired predictive encoding.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
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