TY - JOUR
T1 - Neural correlates of weight-shift training in older adults
T2 - a randomized controlled study
AU - de Rond, Veerle
AU - D'Cruz, Nicholas
AU - Hulzinga, Femke
AU - McCrum, Christopher
AU - Verschueren, Sabine
AU - de Xivry, Jean-Jacques Orban
AU - Nieuwboer, Alice
PY - 2023/11/10
Y1 - 2023/11/10
N2 - Mediolateral weight-shifting is an important aspect of postural control. As it is currently unknown whether a short training session of mediolateral weight-shifting in a virtual reality (VR) environment can improve weight-shifting, we investigated this question and also probed the impact of practice on brain activity. Forty healthy older adults were randomly allocated to a training (EXP, n?=?20, age?=?70.80 (65-77), 9 females) or a control group (CTR, n?=?20, age?=?71.65 (65-82), 10 females). The EXP performed a 25-min weight-shift training in a VR-game, whereas the CTR rested for the same period. Weight-shifting speed in both single- (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions was determined before, directly after, and 24 h after intervention. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessed the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO ) levels in five cortical regions of interest. Weight-shifting in both ST and DT conditions improved in EXP but not in CTR, and these gains were retained after 24 h. Effects transferred to wider limits of stability post-training in EXP versus CTR. HbO levels in the left supplementary motor area were significantly increased directly after training in EXP during ST (change?<?SEM), and in the left somatosensory cortex during DT (change?>?SEM). We interpret these changes in the motor coordination and sensorimotor integration areas of the cortex as possibly learning-related.
AB - Mediolateral weight-shifting is an important aspect of postural control. As it is currently unknown whether a short training session of mediolateral weight-shifting in a virtual reality (VR) environment can improve weight-shifting, we investigated this question and also probed the impact of practice on brain activity. Forty healthy older adults were randomly allocated to a training (EXP, n?=?20, age?=?70.80 (65-77), 9 females) or a control group (CTR, n?=?20, age?=?71.65 (65-82), 10 females). The EXP performed a 25-min weight-shift training in a VR-game, whereas the CTR rested for the same period. Weight-shifting speed in both single- (ST) and dual-task (DT) conditions was determined before, directly after, and 24 h after intervention. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) assessed the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO ) levels in five cortical regions of interest. Weight-shifting in both ST and DT conditions improved in EXP but not in CTR, and these gains were retained after 24 h. Effects transferred to wider limits of stability post-training in EXP versus CTR. HbO levels in the left supplementary motor area were significantly increased directly after training in EXP during ST (change?<?SEM), and in the left somatosensory cortex during DT (change?>?SEM). We interpret these changes in the motor coordination and sensorimotor integration areas of the cortex as possibly learning-related.
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Aged
KW - Oxyhemoglobins/metabolism
KW - Motor Cortex/metabolism
KW - Learning
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-023-46645-4
DO - 10.1038/s41598-023-46645-4
M3 - Article
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 13
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 19609
ER -