Exercise-induced changes in brain activity during memory encoding and retrieval after long-term bed rest

TY - JOUR

T1 - Exercise-induced changes in brain activity during memory encoding and retrieval after long-term bed rest

AU - Friedl-Werner, Anika

AU - Brauns, Katharina

AU - Gunga, Hanns-Christian

AU - Kühn, Simone

AU - Stahn, Alexander C

N1 - Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2020/12

Y1 - 2020/12

N2 - Episodic memory depends decisively on the hippocampus and the parahippocampal gyrus, brain structures that are also prone to exercise-induced neuroplasticity and cognitive improvement. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of a high-intensity exercise program in twenty-two men resting in bed for 60 days on episodic memory and its neuronal basis. All participants were exposed to 60 days of uninterrupted bed rest. Eleven participants were additionally assigned to a high-intensity interval training that was performed five to six times weekly for 60 days. Episodic memory and its neural basis were determined four days prior to and on the 58th day of bed rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found increased BOLD signal in the left hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus in the non-exercising group compared to the exercising bed rest group whereas the mnemonic performance did not differ significantly. These findings indicate a higher neuronal efficiency in the training group during memory encoding and retrieval and may suggest a dysfunctional mechanism in the non-exercising bed rest group induced by two months of physical inactivity. Our results provide further support for the modulating effects of physical exercise and adverse implications of a sedentary lifestyle and bedridden patients.

AB - Episodic memory depends decisively on the hippocampus and the parahippocampal gyrus, brain structures that are also prone to exercise-induced neuroplasticity and cognitive improvement. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of a high-intensity exercise program in twenty-two men resting in bed for 60 days on episodic memory and its neuronal basis. All participants were exposed to 60 days of uninterrupted bed rest. Eleven participants were additionally assigned to a high-intensity interval training that was performed five to six times weekly for 60 days. Episodic memory and its neural basis were determined four days prior to and on the 58th day of bed rest using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found increased BOLD signal in the left hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus in the non-exercising group compared to the exercising bed rest group whereas the mnemonic performance did not differ significantly. These findings indicate a higher neuronal efficiency in the training group during memory encoding and retrieval and may suggest a dysfunctional mechanism in the non-exercising bed rest group induced by two months of physical inactivity. Our results provide further support for the modulating effects of physical exercise and adverse implications of a sedentary lifestyle and bedridden patients.

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117359

DO - 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117359

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 32919056

VL - 223

SP - 117359

JO - NEUROIMAGE

JF - NEUROIMAGE

SN - 1053-8119

ER -