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Using multishell diffusion MRI and both tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tracking of specific tracts of interest, we evaluated the neural underpinnings of the impact of a six-month dance intervention (DI) on physical fitness and cognitive outcomes in nondemented seniors. The final cohort had 76 nondemented seniors, randomized into DI and control (life as usual) groups. Significant effects were observed between the DI and control groups in physical fitness measures and in attention. We detected associations between improved physical fitness and changes in diffusion tensor imagining (DTI) measures in the whole white matter (WM) skeleton and in the corticospinal tract and the superior longitudinal fascicle despite the fact that no significant differences in changes to the WM microstructure were found between the two groups.

Background: Dance is a complex activity combining physical exercise with cognitive, social, and artistic stimulation.Objectives: We aimed to assess the effects of dance intervention (DI) on intra and inter-network resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) and its association to cognitive changes in a group of non-demented elderly participants.Methods: Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: DI and life as usual (LAU). Six-month-long DI consisted of supervised 60 min lessons three times per week. Resting-state fMRI data were processed using independent component analysis to evaluate the intra and inter-network connectivity of large-scale brain networks. Interaction between group (DI, LAU) and visit (baseline, follow-up) was assessed using ANOVA, and DI-induced changes in rs-FC were correlated with cognitive outcomes.Results: Data were analyzed in 68 participants (DI; n = 36 and LAU; n = 32). A significant behavioral effect was found in the attention domain, with Z scores increasing in the DI group and decreasing in the LAU group (p = 0.017). The DI as compared to LAU led to a significant rs-FC increase of the default mode network (DMN) and specific inter-network pairings, including insulo-opercular and right frontoparietal/frontoparietal control networks (p = 0.019 and p = 0.023), visual and language/DMN networks (p = 0.012 and p = 0.015), and cerebellar and visual/language networks (p = 0.015 and p = 0.003). The crosstalk of the insulo-opercular and right frontoparietal networks were associated with attention/executive domain Z-scores (R = 0.401, p = 0.015, and R = 0.412, p = 0.012).Conclusion: The DI led to intervention-specific complex brain plasticity changes that were of cognitive relevance.

Dance is a complex sensorimotor activity with positive effects on physical fitness, cognition, and brain plasticity in the aging population. We explored whether individual levels of cognitive reserve (CR) proxied by education moderate dance intervention (DI)-induced plasticity assessed by resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) changes of the sensorimotor network (SMN), and between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and anterior default mode network (aDMN). Our cohort consisted of 99 subjects, randomly assigned to either a DI group who underwent a 6-month intervention (n = 49, Mage = 69.02 ± 5.40) or a control group (n = 50, Mage = 69.37 ± 6.10). Moderation analyses revealed that CR moderated DI-induced increase of the SMN rs-FC with significant changes observed in participants with ≥ 15 years of education (b = 0.05, t(62) = 3.17, p = 0.002). Only DI alone was a significant predictor of the DAN–aDMN crosstalk change (b = 0.06, t(64) = 2.16, p = 0.035). The rs-FC increase in the SMN was correlated with an improved physical fitness measure, and changes in the DAN–aDMN connectivity were linked to better performance on figural fluency. Consistent with the passive CR hypothesis, we observed that CR correlated only with baseline behavioral scores, not their change.

The aim of this study is to test the psychometric properties of Czech adaptation of 8-item Short Grit Scale based on item analysis, internal consistency, content and convergent validity. The sample of 338 respondents included 209 (61.8 %) female and 129 (38.2 %) male participants between 15 and 76 years of age (M = 28.39; sd = 10.5). The results suggest satisfactory reliability and validity. Comparative analyses of demographic factors (age and gender) revealed a significant positive relationship between age and grit. The results are compared with the psychometric properties of the original scale and related studies. The Czech version of GritS is attached.

Dance is a complex sensorimotor activity with positive effects on physical fitness, cognition, and brain plasticity in the aging population. We explored whether individual levels of cognitive reserve (CR) proxied by education moderate dance intervention (DI)-induced plasticity assessed by resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) changes of the sensorimotor network (SMN), and between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and anterior default mode network (aDMN). Our cohort consisted of 99 subjects, randomly assigned to either a DI group who underwent a 6-month intervention (n = 49, Mage = 69.02 ± 5.40) or a control group (n = 50, Mage = 69.37 ± 6.10). Moderation analyses revealed that CR moderated DI-induced increases of the SMN rs-FC with significant changes observed in participants with ≥ 13 years of education (b = .05, t(64) = 3.20, p < .001). Only DI alone was a significant predictor of the DAN-aDMN crosstalk change (b = .06, t(64) = 2.16, p = .03). The rs-FC increases in the SMN were correlated with an improved physical fitness measure, and changes in the DAN-aDMN connectivity were linked to better performance on a cognitive task. Consistent with the passive CR hypothesis, we observed that CR correlated only with baseline behavioral scores, not their change.

Objective: The major objective of this study was to investigate the influence of six months dance intervention program on the level of functional fitness and postural stability in the elderly. Methods: The exercise program was carried out three times a week and included 60 dance exercise sessions. 60 elderly participated in the study (67.5 ± 5.69 years), 30 in a dance intervention group (weight: 70.32 ± 13.59kg; BMI 25.95 ± 3.79 kg/m 2 ), 30 in a control group (weight: 76.93 ± 15.45kg; BMI 27.06 ± 3.88 kg/m 2 ). Three subtests (6Min Walk Test, Chair Stand Test, 8 Foot up and Go Test) were used to determine the level of functional fitness from the Senior fitness test battery; the static posturography method assessed the level of balance abilities in one position. Results: The most meaningful results to emerge from the data are that the intervention dance program led to a post-exercise increase in the level of agility, dynamic balance and reaction speed measured by 8 Foot up Go test in the intervention group. The results indicate a statistically significant difference value in the intervention group compared to the control group between post-test results (p = 0.01). Values of the other monitored parameters were not statistically significant. The Cohen coefficient d reflects the low (8 Foot up and Go test, 6 Min Walk test) or medium value (Chair Stand test) of the intervention program›s effectiveness. Conclusions: Our study suggests, that intervention dance program could significantly improve the level of agility, dynamic balance and reaction speed.